Calais Campbell
Getty
Defensive tackle Calais Campbell, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals.
The Minnesota Vikings need more toughness and grit on the interior of the defensive line and a seemingly ageless option could prove a perfect fit on a short-term deal in free agency.
Defensive tackle Calais Campbell will play his 19th NFL season at the age of 40 years old in 2026. Most recently of the Arizona Cardinals, Campbell is a free agent late into March and makes sense in Minnesota after the team cut of both Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen this offseason. Minnesota spent $30 million and $51 million on the two last spring, respectively, but neither excelled as the interior of the defensive front remained problematic.
Campbell is a six-time Pro Bowler who Pro Football Focus ranked as the 26th-best defensive tackle out of 134 players who saw enough snaps at the position to qualify in 2025. He played for just $5.5 million last season, and Spotrac projects his market value at $11 million on a one-year contract in 2026.
“Calais Campbell may be one of the league’s best defensive linemen of all time, but the 18-year veteran has arguably become a touch underrated in recent seasons,” Alex Kay of Bleacher Report wrote Sunday, March 22. “Despite his advancing age, Campbell has continued to display unparalleled consistency and durability, starting all 17 games in each of the last three seasons while logging 524 or more defensive snaps.”
Calais Campbell Signing Would Blunt Loss of Jonathan Greenard Via Trade
Jonathan Greenard
GettyOutside linebacker Jonathan Greenard of the Minnesota Vikings.
Campbell finished last season with 43 combined tackles, including nine tackles for loss, 16 quarterback hits, 6.5 sacks and two pass breakups.
His skills against both the pass and the run make him an ideal short-term answer in Minnesota, where the pass-rush should still be reasonable off the edge, even if a Jonathan Greenard trade goes through.
Greenard has two years remaining on his contract and asked for a new deal this offseason, after which Minnesota began shopping him. The team is looking for a Day 2 draft pick in return for Greenard, and moving him will save the Vikings $12.25 million against the salary cap in 2026.
Pass-rusher Andrew Van Ginkel remains under contract through next season, while the Vikings will likely ask 2024 first-round pick Dallas Turner to step up into a starting role if the team can move Greenard. It can then use the cap savings from trading him to add Campbell to the defensive line and improve the unit’s performance against both the run and pass in 2026.
Defensive Tackle Christian Wilkins Potential Option for Vikings in Free Agency
christian wilkins
GettyFormer Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins.
Another option for the Vikings on the defensive interior, either instead of or alongside Campbell, is Christian Wilkins, a free agent most recently of the Las Vegas Raiders.
“Free-agent DT Christian Wilkins fully intends to play this season, but still is rehabbing his foot injury, per his agent David Mulugheta,” Schefter reported on Friday, March 20. “So far 26 teams have reached out and are waiting for Wilkins to be ready, and Wilkins is expected to have a new home as soon as he wants.”
Las Vegas released Wilkins last offseason, voiding his deal based on allegations of a breach of contract. He played just five games for the Raiders in 2024, all of which renders him a risk in free agency heading into his age-31 campaign.