Roundtable Reactions: Ravens acquire DE Calais Campbell for a fifth-round pick

The Ravens have agreed in principle to a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars, sending a fifth-round pick for DE Calais Campbell. Below are the staff reactions to the trade.

I’m fully convinced Eric DeCosta could trade me for a starter in the NFL. He’s managed to trade two fifth-round picks and LB Kenny Young for Marcus Peters and Calais Campbell. This is insanity.

As for Campbell, this is the perfect fit for the Ravens. A dominant defender in the trenches will allow the edge defenders more room to play and better performances in the near future. If they hang on to Matt Judon and his franchise tag—which I desperately believe they should do, there will be no shortage of defensive highlights in 2020. — Kyle P. Barber

The Ravens front office continues to push all the right buttons. After creating a dominant secondary by signing Earl Thomas and trading for Marcus Peters in his first year as general manager, DeCosta has now landed the top defensive lineman available this offseason. Campbell is an All-Pro performer who fills a major positional need. PFF’s 2019 Run Defender of the Year was also the 6th most effective interior pass rusher last season with a 15% win rate per NextGen stats. He is a perfect fit for the scheme due to his versatility and will provide extremely valuable interior pass rush. DeCosta is constructing a roster designed to play complementary football and win championships in the modern NFL. — Vasilis Lericos

This is another great trade by Eric DeCosta. Calais Campbell is one of the premier defenders in the entire NFL. It is remarkable that the front office only gave up a fifth-round pick to acquire him. Over the past three seasons in Jacksonville, Campbell had 31.5 sacks. He is very versatile and immediately gives the Ravens a strong interior rusher, which is something they lacked. If Matthew Judon is not traded, he and Campbell would combine to make one of the best pass rushing duos in the league. Amazingly, Campbell is an even better run defender. Last season, his PFF run defense grade of 90.6 was the second highest in the NFL (minimum 500 snaps). With Lamar Jackson on a rookie contract and talent all over the roster, the Ravens are going all-in at the right time. — Jakob Ashlin

Calais Campbell was the ultimate dream acquisition for the Ravens this offseason. He’s a perfect scheme fit in “Wink” Martindale’s defense, arguably the best run defender in the entire NFL and similarly a top-tier interior pass-rusher - which is exactly what the Ravens were lacking. Eric DeCosta somehow managed to reel him in for a mere fifth-round pick, further demonstrating that he has the absolute midas touch when it comes to trades. “EDC” continues to one-up himself in acquiring All-Pro talent for mid-round draft picks. He did it with Marcus Peters and he’s now done it once again. Campbell has not slowed down with age whatsoever and fits squarely within the team’s window to compete for a championship - which is right now. — Frank Platko

Right player, right price, the age old Ozzie mantra that Eric DeCosta is now remixing to absolute perfection just a year into his so far excellent tenure. A fifth rounder seems to be his magic number as that’s what it took for him to acquire Marcus Peters mid-year, and now Campbell ahead of a 2020 season with high expectations. His cap hit will need to be re-worked, but a 90.3 overall grade from PFF speaks for itself, as does his reputation as a grinder and a leader. It remains to be seen what will happen with his salary, but regardless it’s a great move in every sense of the word. — Jake Louque

Eric DeCosta pulls off another incredible heist by getting another Pro Bowler for a 5th-round pick. DeCosta’s work as general manager has been nothing short of magnificent so far. Campbell gives Baltimore the interior pass rush that they have lacked for years. Pairing him with Brandon Williams and Matthew Judon will cause nightmares for opposing offensive lines. A contract extension will lower the cap hit and ensure that Campbell is more than just a one-year rental as well. — Dustin Cox

This is the type of move that the Ravens need to win a Super Bowl. With the designation of Matt Judon as the team’s franchise player, it only makes sense to put more pieces around him for minimal compensation. If the Ravens add another piece or two through the draft, the team could very well have one of the best offenses and defenses in the NFL. A move like this sets the Ravens up for another season of dominance. — Adrian Charchalis