We are now more than two weeks into the new league year, and the free agent market has been picked over pretty substantially at this point. Most people have shifted their focus to mock drafts and draft crushes, but I’m still thinking about veteran additions the Green Bay Packers can make to improve the roster.

So far, the Packers have added a starting guard, a starting cornerback, and a wide receiver who can contribute on both special teams and offense. One area they have yet to address this offseason is the pass rush. It’s a position they will undoubtedly look to bolster in next month’s draft. However, there is one player still available who could help, regardless of who they add in the draft—a veteran closing in on 40 years of age but still playing at a high level.

Calais Campbell.

As a member of the Miami Dolphins last year, the 38-year-old Campbell was a valuable and productive defensive piece. He recorded 52 total tackles, 35 of them solo, along with five sacks on 39 pressures and one forced fumble. He finished as Pro Football Focus’s seventh-highest-rated pass rusher with an 82.3 overall grade while playing 615 snaps.

One might assume that, at his advancing age, he would only be on the field for clear passing downs, but he played over 57% of the Dolphins’ defensive snaps. In fact, he logged more snaps last season than any Packers pass rusher not named Rashan Gary—and at a higher level, too. If he had been a Packer, he would have been the highest-rated defender along the defensive line. He’s in a unique position to step in, immediately take on meaningful snaps, and provide the type of veteran impact the Packers’ edge group has been sorely missing in recent seasons. Preston Smith was suppose to be that last season but didn’t fit in Hafley scheme like they envisioned. Campbell fits any system.

Campbell isn’t just a strong pass rusher—he’s also still elite against the run. According to Pro Football Focus, he earned an 85.9 run defense grade in 2024. That’s something Green Bay doesn’t have much of on the roster outside of Kenny Clark, especially now that T.J. Slaton will be wearing orange and black. The Packers need to find a way to improve their pass rush without taking a step back in run defense. They were a top-five run defense last season, finishing fifth overall, but losing Slaton is a significant challenge. Adding Campbell could be a “kill two birds with one stone” type of signing.

I know many pundits and fans alike will bemoan that signing Campbell would take snaps away from younger players like Lukas Van Ness, Brenton Cox Jr., and any incoming draft picks. However, I believe Campbell would bring such a wealth of knowledge that all of them would benefit from sharing a room with him. With Van Ness, Gary, and Campbell’s ability to move up and down the defensive line, I trust Jeff Hafley to find a way to get them all on the field while ensuring they each get plenty of snaps.

The most appealing factor for Russ Ball and Brian Gutekunst should be how affordable Campbell might be. He played on a one-year, $2 million contract with Miami last season. The year before, in 2023, he signed a one-year, $7 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons. It’s safe to assume he will likely land somewhere in between those two figures this offseason, with PFF projecting a one-year, $3 million contract. Of course, this assumes he still wants to play in 2025. He hasn’t officially announced whether he’ll return or retire, but if he’s still undecided at this point, a team like the Packers—with Super Bowl aspirations—might be able to persuade him to run it back for an 18th season.

If Campbell does decide to play another year, I expect he will wait until deep into the summer or training camp before signing. A 39 year old veteran doesn’t need a full offseason to get ready, which should be perfectly fine for Green Bay. It would allow the young players to get plenty of practice snaps, while Campbell could show up closer to Week 1 ready to contribute for the long slog that is an NFL season.

Brian Gutekunst has spoken about his desire to get this team back to winning championships. He wants to create a sense of urgency within the organization, and a great way to demonstrate that urgency would be to add a veteran who can contribute immediately at a position of need. The Packers have invested a lot of draft capital into their pass rush, with mixed results, to say the least. There will always be time to develop young talent, but the window to win is small.

The Packers’ time to win is now, and impact veterans at affordable prices don’t come around every day. There’s one sitting out there, just waiting for the Packers to call.