Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell is set to become an unrestricted free agent when the new league year starts, but there’s no chance that he’s leaving Arizona.
Cardinals General manager Rod Graves said on Arizona Sports 620 that one way or the other, Campbell is staying put.
“Calais will be with us, rest assured,” Graves said, via the team’s site. “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.”
Graves didn’t come right out and say the Cardinals will slap the franchise tag on Campbell, but that’s really a no brainer: If the Cardinals and Campbell can work out a deal, great. If not, Campbell will get the franchise tag and stay in Arizona, one way or the other.