JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) The Jacksonville Jaguars have agreed to trade veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell to the Baltimore Ravens for a fifth-round pick in the upcoming NFL draft, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Sunday because the trade can’t become official until the new league begins.
The 33-year-old Campbell was due to earn $15 million this season and count $17.5 million against Jacksonville’s salary cap. He’s expected to agree to a revised deal with the Ravens.
Campbell has made five Pro Bowls, including three straight with Jacksonville. He was instrumental in helping rookie Josh Allen make a successful transition to the NFL last year. Allen was a Pro Bowl alternate and made the team as a replacement.
Campbell was voted defensive MVP of the Pro Bowl in January. He was recognized as the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year for his charitable work.
He has 696 tackles and 88 sacks in 12 seasons with Arizona and Jacksonville. He’s started every game over the last five seasons and been an key leader on and off the field.
The Jaguars are unlikely to replace him with a fifth-round pick. It’s also another sign that Jacksonville is in rebuilding mode.
General manager Dave Caldwell already agreed to trade cornerback A.J. Bouye to Denver for a fourth-round draft pick. He also declined to pick up an option in defensive tackle Marcell Dareus’ contract.
Those moves will clear about $33 million in cap space, and trading Campbell pushes the total to $48 million in savings. Jacksonville might be trying to create enough space to trade or cut quarterback Nick Foles, who lost his starting job to rookie Gardner Minshew last season and is due to count nearly $22 million against the salary cap in 2020.
The Jaguars also used their franchise tag on top pass-rusher Yannick Ngakoue last week, but the disgruntled defender has made it clear he doesn’t plan to sign the tender offer and wants to play elsewhere.
Throw in cornerback Jalen Ramsey (traded), defensive end Dante Fowler (traded), defensive tackle Malik Jackson (cut), safety Tashaun Gipson (cut), safety Barry Church (cut), linebacker Telvin Smith (retired) and linebacker Paul Posluszny (retired), and the Jaguars have essentially wiped out their 2017 starting defense that had been considered the future of the franchise.
Only two holdovers from that team, which finished a few plays short of the Super Bowl, remain under contract: linebacker Myles Jack and defensive lineman Abry Jones.
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