Before last season, Jack Campbell’s ascension was foreshadowed.
“This is his defense,” Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell noted during a radio interview 10 months ago.
The man in charge of that unit, coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, affirmed as much, telling reporters this past July that he planned to put the hard-nosed inside linebacker on a “pedestal.” With Alex Anzalone’s future in Detroit up in the air as he entered the final year of his contract, the organization needed Campbell to take the next step in his career.
Well, he did. In 2025, Campbell emerged as one of the best players at his position, earning first-team All-Pro honors after producing 176 tackles, five sacks, three forced fumbles and a league-high 44 run stops, according to Pro Football Focus. At times, the former 2023 first-round pick was the Lions’ most impactful starter. He certainly was the most ubiquitous, playing all but eight snaps on defense. Campbell’s body of work was striking, and he was rewarded for it Thursday with a lucrative contract extension.
“He is all ball, and he embodies everything that this program is built on,” Sheppard said last September.
In many ways, Campbell had become indispensable, which is why general manager Brad Holmes said in January that it was a “priority” to work out a long-term deal with him as he was set to become eligible for an extension this offseason. It was also financially pragmatic. After all, the estimated price tag attached to his fifth-year option in 2027 − $21.93 million – was a cost-prohibitive amount for an off-ball linebacker like the 25-year-old Campbell. That is why the Lions declined to exercise it last month as they looked to hammer out a new pact that would not only keep Campbell in the fold for the foreseeable future but would also better position the organization to remain cap solvent in the years to come.
It all led to Thursday, May 21, when Campbell and the Lions announced a new deal that runs through 2030. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the contract maxes out at $81 million over four years, with $51.5 million guaranteed.
It should be viewed as a win for both sides. The Lions not only lock up a star player who is an essential cog in their defense but also gain additional runway to absorb the financial burden from the substantial raise they just gave him. Meanwhile, Campbell capitalizes on a breakout year by obtaining long-term financial security and an average annual salary more commensurate with his true value. It was the best outcome but also the only sensible resolution after the Lions let Anzalone leave to join Tampa Bay in March.
By then, it had become clear the organization had decided to tie its future to Campbell.
“I don’t hesitate when I say that this is Jack Campbell’s defense,” Sheppard said in February. “Everybody in that locker room knows that. Point blank, period. It all goes through Jack.”
Because of that, the Lions knew they had to keep hold of him. They did, ensuring he will remain in his post at middle linebacker through the end of this decade.
Grade: A
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Grading Jack Campbell extension: Lions keep an essential piece
Reporting by Rainer Sabin, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
