Overview
- Detroit declined linebacker Jack Campbell’s fifth-year option that would have guaranteed $21.925 million for 2027.
- The price rose because the option formula groups some edge rushers with linebackers and pays Pro Bowl players off a higher tender.
- The move keeps team control through 2026 and brings extension talks forward, with unrestricted free agency set for next March if no deal is reached.
- Campbell is coming off a breakout year with 176 tackles, nine tackles for loss, five sacks, three forced fumbles and four pass breakups, plus first-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowl.
- The payout rules drew split reactions, with Over The Cap calling the designations antiquated and NFL insider Albert Breer rejecting calls for a change.