Arizona Cardinals general manager Rod Graves was on Arizona Sports 620 yesterday to discuss all things Cardinals with the local Valley radio station. While doing so, the question of whether or not star defensive end, Calais Campbell would remain with the team was finally answered.
Rest assured fans, Graves said Campbell is coming back to the desert for at least another year of football.
Although he didn't come right out and say that the team will use the franchise tag on Campbell, it sounds like that will be the plan if they are unable to work out a long-term deal with him and his agent.
"Calais will be with us, rest assured," Graves said. "We will continue to focus on getting a long term deal in place and it's a process. But he will be an Arizona Cardinals player this year and we are hoping certainly to extend that to a long-term deal. Conversations are continuing with his agent."
This should be good news for all Cardinals fans, as Campbell has really started to shine over the past couple of seasons and should not be allowed to go anywhere. The 6'8" stud led the team with nine sacks last season, while also managing to register 55 solo tackles and be an effective force both as a pass rusher and in run defense.
Campbell is the prototypical 3-4 defensive end and makes a nice compliment to his Pro Bowl counterpart, Darnell Dockett. Having the both of them back along with what will hopefully be reinforcements in the linebacker corps should make the Cardinals pass rush one to be afraid of for years to come.
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