Campbell (neck) will stay at hospital overnight

Campbell’s neck bent awkwardly on a tackle in the fourth quarter. He immediately went limp, and after more than ten minutes, he was carted off with what appeared to be a neck injury. The standout linebacker could be looking at an extended absence. We will update his status as we get more information.

Campbell, 25, was set to enter free agency in 2027 after the Lions declined to exercise Campbell’s fifth-year option in April. Instead, the team’s leader in tackles will stick around. Campbell’s 110 tackles are 42 more than the next closest Lions defender. He also banked 17 quarterback pressures, five sacks and two pass breakups. The deal is reportedly worth $81 million.

The fifth-year option and franchise tag grouping of positions strikes again. Campbell would have received $21.9 million if Detroit picked up the option due to the amount of pure EDGE players that are factored into the equation — it’s essentially the same reason why the Packers declined Quay Walker’s fifth-year option last year and lost him in free agency. The Lions reportedly were trying to strike a long-term extension with Campbell — this doesn’t seem like a true signal on that so much as the natural outcome of not wanting to head into negotiations with that figure over Brad Holmes’ head.

Speaking during the Lions’ pre-draft press conference, Holmes said the Lions have not exercised the options for Gibbs or LB Jack Campbell, who also has a fifth-year option the team needs to decide on. Both Gibbs and Campbell are safe bets to have their options picked up, which would keep them under contract through 2027. While Gibbs emerged as one of the top backs in the league and totaled 1,800-plus yards from scrimmage in each of the last two seasons, Campbell earned First-team All-Pro honors in 2025, finishing the year with 175 tackles, five sacks, three forced fumbles, and nine TFLs. We would expect both players to have their options picked up in the coming weeks.

Campbell figures to start next to Alex Anzalone for the Lions this year, though perhaps Malcolm Rodriguez will make a move up the rankings in his first offseason with the team. Campbell should be an IDP starter from the jump assuming he stays healthy in training camp.

A unanimous All-American who brought home Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year accolades, Campbell (6’5/249) was named the 2022 Butkus Award recipient given to the top linebacker in the country. He plays the position with a cerebral approach befitting a three-time Academic All-Big Ten student and is a savant at diagnosing play flow. The rangy MLB rarely lets rushers escape his grasp, which is reflected in his superb 8.9% missed tackle rate and 107 run stops over the last two seasons. The mechanics with which he plays the game are unassailable, but his length can hurt him in coverage and in change of direction situations. Campbell is at his best scraping and challenging ball carriers at the point of attack, though his 31.875” arms hurt his ability to out-leverage massive linemen. His Combine performance was near-perfect, with Campbell posting 97th+ percentile results in jumping and agility testing to go with a 92nd percentile 1.58s 10-yard dash to combine for an eye-popping 9.98 RAS. His play style and athleticism are reminiscent of former Boise State LB Leighton Vander Esch.

Campbell (6'5/243) is a linebacker to watch in 2022, and his numbers back up that statement. Last season, Campbell recorded 140 total tackles (57 solo) with five passes defended, two interceptions, one touchdown, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and one sack. According to Pro Football Focus, Campbell totaled 45 run stops last season -- the most by a Power Five linebacker.

Campbell (6'5/243) announced earlier on Wednesday his plans to return to school in 2022, which gives a big boost to the Hawkeyes, as they get back their linebacker who led the nation in tackles last season (139) while also forcing 13 quarterback pressures, one sack, two interceptions and three pass breakups. Campbell’s 2021 season was enough to earn him first-team All-Big Ten honors as he proved to be one of the nation’s most dominant linebackers while playing for one of the nation’s most dominant defenses. If Iowa is to have a shot at the college football playoffs in 2022, Campbell’s return will go a long way in making that possible.