Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Calais Campbell offered a message to his team through the media before the Week 17 matchup versus the Cleveland Browns.
The Detroit Lions lost one of the league’s top pass rushers when Aidan Hutchinson went down with a fractured leg earlier this season, but the team may now have the chance to add a new difference-maker on defense.
Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald reported that the Miami Dolphins are expected to waive veteran defensive tackle Calais Campbell once they are eliminated from playoff contention, allowing him to land with a Super Bowl contender. While any team would be open to put in a waiver claim, Kelly wrote that the Lions could end up being one of the most motivated contenders to land him.
Calais Campbell Could Have Several Options
The 38-year-old Campbell is in the midst of a strong season, anchoring the middle of Miami’s defense and racking up 4.0 sacks with 46 total tackles. Kelly reported that there are likely several teams interested in Campbell, all of them top Super Bowl contenders.
“The Kansas City Chiefs, which are going for a three-peat, might be Campbell’s best shot to get a ring. Imagine the impact he could have playing next to Chris Jones?” Kelly wrote.
“But the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings are also expected to be interested, and might put in a waiver claim to strengthen their cause, and prevent a front runner like the Chiefs from adding the defensive lineman who ranks third in active sacks.”
Should the Lions go through with putting a waiver claim on Campbell, it could give them the advantage over teams hoping he makes it through and signs on with them in free agency.
The Dolphins are clinging to their thin playoff hopes and could be eliminated on Saturday with wins from the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers. If the Dolphins manage to survive until Sunday, they would need a win over the Cleveland Browns to go into Week 18 with a chance of making the playoffs.
Lions Hoping for Aidan Hutchinson’s Return
There is still a chance the Lions could get Hutchinson back on the field this season. He has been progressing through rehab and said earlier this month that he is hoping to get back onto the field by February — which could mean a return for the Super Bowl, should the Lions advance that far.
“I’m at that mark and I’m on track for my goal of returning for the Super Bowl,” Hutchinson told “The Squeeze” podcast, via ESPN. “I keep telling all the boys when I see them in the facility, I’m like, ‘You guys just got to get there and I promise you I’m going to be back.’ ”
The Lions have been hit by several other injuries on defense, losing several key players to injured reserve including starting cornerback Carlton Davis III.
The team could be getting some good news heading into their Week 17 game against the San Francisco 49ers. The team opened the 21-day return window for return specialist Kalif Raymond, who had been on injured reserve.
While head coach Dan Campbell was not optimistic that Raymond would play in Monday’s game against the 49ers, he did say another player was closer to returning.
“We’ll see where he’s at,” Campbell said, via USA Today’s Lions Wire. “I don’t feel as confident with him as I do (Jalen Reeves-Maybin), but it’s good to have him back out at practice.”
Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty
