Even after some major free agency duds over the past couple years, it looks like the Jacksonville Jaguars are not avoiding the open market this time around.
It was previously reported on Wednesday that Jacksonville would be big-time players for some of the top free agents in the NFL once free agency starts.
We can now put one potential target to rest. According to Dianna Russini of ESPN, Jacksonville will sign two-time Pro Bowl performer Calais Campbell when free agency opens on Thursday.
Calais Campbell is expected to sign with the Jaguars per sources
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 9, 2017
Campbell, 30, is coming off a strong 2016 season that saw him record 53 tackles and eight sacks for the Arizona Cardinals. He will team up with promising youngster Dante Fowler. Jr to form a solid pass-rush duo for the long downtrodden Jaguars.
Campbell was allowed to hit free agency after Arizona initially placed the franchise tag on Chandler Jones. And once Jones agreed to a long-term contract worth $84 million with the team in the desert, it was a foregone conclusion that Campbell would be moving on.
Signing a 30-year-old defender might not make a whole lot of sense for a last-place team. But the Jaguars surely do have a lot of young talent. Adding a veteran to to the mix could help those youngsters improve on the field.