The Green Bay Packers are interested in re-signing All-Pro linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, but a new deal isn’t close to being done as of Monday.
Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated spoke with Campbell’s agent, Joe Panos, who confirmed the two sides have been in contact regarding the team’s “desire to do a new deal” but negotiations are still in the infant stages.
Campbell’s contract will void on Monday. An Instagram post from Campbell on Sunday night sparked speculation that he could be in Green Bay signing a new deal with the Packers before his contract voided, but the deadline either passed or will pass without a new contract.
Because his contract is expected to void, a dead money cap hit of $808,000 will be applied to the Packers salary cap to cover the prorated part of Campbell’s signing bonus. The team added four void years onto Campbell’s deal last June to help lower his cap hit in 2021, but the rest of his signing bonus will now be applied to the cap in 2022.
The $808,000 dead money hit isn’t significant, but every penny is important to a team that is $50 million over the salary cap in 2022, and now Campbell will be on the books in Green Bay this season whether he’s playing for the Pakcers or not.
Campbell was a revelation during his first season in Green Bay. He made big play after big play, graded out as the best full-time off-ball linebacker in the NFL at Pro Football Focus and earned first-team All-Pro recognition from the AP.
Campbell played in 16 of 17 regular-season games, tallying 146 tackles, two interceptions, two sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, six tackles for losses and five quarterback hits.
Campbell was playing on his third team in three seasons while with the Packers in 2021. His excellent play as a sixth-year player dramatically increased his value, both in Green Bay and elsewhere around the NFL.
Expect Panos and Campbell to gauge interest from other teams over the next month. It’s still possible Campbell will return to Green Bay on a new deal, but the Packers won’t be the only team interested in signing a big, athletic linebacker who is 28 and coming off an All-Pro season.
