The Jacksonville Jaguars raised eyebrows in free agency because they mostly focused on re-signing their own players, and their only external addition was running back Chris Rodriguez. For that reason, it's not hyperbole to say that general manager James Gladstone will need to hit it out of the ballpark in the NFL Draft.
Working in the Jags' favor is that they'll have 11 selections, including three in the third round. That's more than enough ammo to take care of their biggest needs. That said, an NFL writer just suggested they address one of their biggest roster void, the defensive line, with a familiar face. And it kind of makes sense.
The Jaguars are being urged (again) to sign Calais Campbell
Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report drew up a list of one free agent still on the market that could help every NFL team. For the Jaguars, he chose Calais Campbell, pointing out that he would give their interior line a boost.
"Devin Lloyd's departure leaves the team with a hole at off-linebacker," Davenport wrote. "Ditto for Travis Etienne and the running back spot, although the Jags added Chris Rodriguez Jr. in the backfield. The team also needs to bolster the interior pass rush—Jacksonville led the league in run defense a year ago, but outside veteran Arik Armstead's five sacks, the team generated little interior pass pressure."
Davenport continued, "Admittedly, compared to Calais Campbell, Armstead is a youngster—Campbell will turn 40 before the 2026 season starts. But the six-time Pro Bowler showed he can still play at a level last year in Arizona—43 tackles and 6.5 sacks."
During his three-year stint with the Jags, Campbell registered 31.5 sacks. But instead of getting rewarded with a new deal, then-general manager Dave Caldwell traded him to the Baltimore Ravens in 2020. The Mayor hasn't slowed down since then, registering 29 sacks the past six seasons. While his best days are behind him, he surprisingly remains effective going into 2026, which is why it's not surprising to see him being connected to Jacksonville.
Before free agency, John Shipley dubbed Campbell the perfect target for a reunion in Duval. Zachary Perales of CBS Sports suggested the Jags sign him to address the interior defensive line. Couple that with the fact that the six-time Pro Bowl nod is a fan favorite, and it's easy to see why a reunion has been pitched.
It's also worth noting that the Jags were reportedly interested in bringing back Campbell in 2023 but ultimately opted against it. Like back then, they needed a No. 3 pass rusher behind Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen.
Why the Jaguars may not sign Calais Campbell anytime soon
One of the reasons the Jaguars weren't active in free agency is that they don't have much cap space and will wait until the draft to address the larger scale roster. Having said that, signing Calais Campbell makes sense.
For starters, the former All-Pro hasn't garnered much interest since the start of free agency, so his rates could have gone down. Moreover, bringing him back would allow the Jags to take care of other needs with their second-round selection, the 56th overall. Heck, they could add a linebacker or a pass rusher and use one of their draft picks in the third round on a defensive tackle.
The downside of signing Campbell is that he would only be a stopgap, and Jacksonville would still need to bolster the interior defensive line at some point.
Make no mistake, inking Calais Campbell before the draft would give the Jaguars flexibility, but it's more likely that they will wait until the draft is over to add free-agency help. If he's still available, then general manager James Gladstone should most definitely consider making a move.