Was Russell Wilson trying to recruit Calais Campbell to the Seahawks?

Russell Wilson has been harassed by Calais Campbell for his entire career with the Seattle Seahawks, so it would make sense that Wilson would try to get Campbell off of the Arizona Cardinals. Preferably by joining the Seahawks.

After Saturday’s 34-31 loss to the Cardinals, Wilson was seen congratulating Campbell on the win, while Campbell was wishing him good luck in the playoffs. Wilson then asks him, “How many more you got?” before noticing the camera and saying, “Get that thing out of here!” while laughing.

Wilson was clearly asking Campbell how many more years he had left in him in the NFL, but was he insinuating that it should be in Seattle?

Campbell, 30, is indeed about to be a free agent. He’s spent his whole career in Arizona since being a second round pick in 2008, making the Pro Bowl in 2014 and 2015. His non-Pro Bowl nod this season was not indicative of a decline though, other than the fact that the Cardinals weren’t as good as they were the previous two years. That wasn’t Campbell’s fault though.

He has 50 tackles, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, an interception, and six batted passes. As a defensive tackle with a nose for the quarterback, Campbell would fit in perfectly with the Seahawks next year as that has to be one of their three biggest needs. Yes, offensive line is going to be looked at, but with the way Pete Carroll talks about it — optimistic that the young line is getting better and needs time — that may not be what they target.

Campbell, Kawann Short of the Carolina Panthers, and Dontari Poe of the Kansas City Chiefs could all be free agent targets at the defensive tackle position for Seattle. But Campbell also had a cap hit of $15.25 million this season, which is considerably more than what the Seahawks pay Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril. At 31 next season, Campbell is an older player for sure, but not a dead one. There are plenty of defensive linemen who were effective until their mid-thirties.

It should make him more affordable long-term than Short or Poe though. And it would keep him off of Russell’s back.