Jacksonville Jaguars: Calais Campbell having career-best season

The Jacksonville Jaguars signed Calais Campbell to a huge free agent contract in March and the veteran defensive end is having the best season of his career.

The Jacksonville Jaguars were looking to bolster the defensive line after the 2016 season. The ability to put pressure on the opposing team’s quarterback was sorely lacking. As such, Jacksonville went shopping on the free agent market and found Calais Campbell.

Campbell is a physical presence on the field. He stands 6-8 and weighs in at 282 pounds. Originally drafted in the second round by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2008 NFL Draft. Campbell spent nine seasons as a Cardinals defensive lineman.

After the 2016 season, however, Campbell became an unrestricted free agent. At 30 years old, many wondered how much was left in Campbell’s tank. Would he be able to play at a high level to command and justify a big money deal. Ty Schalter of Bleacher Report wrote an article in 2013 about when age catches up with athletes.

He said this about defensive linemen:

"After a defensive lineman’s seventh year in the NFL, his time is very, very short. Look at the huge drop-off in qualifying starters from year seven to year eight, and from year nine to year 10. The decline flattens for a while, as the best defensive linemen can stick around a very long time, but the quick development, long plateau and quick decline is obvious."

Campbell recorded 21 sacks from 2008-11. He had 6.5 sacks in 2012 and nine sacks in 2013. From 2014-16, Campbell sacked the quarterback 20 times. Remember, Schalter specifically points out a decline in stats after year seven. Campbell had five sacks in 2015 after a career high of nine in 2013. But Campbell rebounded with eight sacks last year.

Now in Jacksonville, Campbell has 11 sacks through the first eight games of this season. In Week 1, he had four sacks against Houston. He started the season with a fury and purpose to prove himself worthy of the big contract.

His presence on the field also garners attention away from the other Jaguars pass rushers. Jacksonville leads the NFL with 35 sacks. 11 players are credited in the sack totals for the Jaguars, who are affectionately known as Sacksonville.

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Campbell is neither declining or plateauing statistically. He signed a four year deal worth $51 million in March. As Pope John XXIII once said about wine, “Men are like wine — some turn to vinegar, but the best improve with age.”

That Pope has just described Calais Campbell.