The Detroit Lions are officially back. Following a concerning start to the season in Week 1, the Lions cruised to three straight victories to earn the top seed in the NFC North. While the offense not taking a step back under new OC John Morton has understandably received a lot of attention, the defense taking a step forward has largely gone under the radar. The improved defensive unit was on display in Week 4 against the Browns as the Lions forced three takeaways and recorded three sacks as they hounded Joe Flacco all game. One of the biggest factors in this resurgence has been the continued brilliance of Jack Campbell, who is on his way to earning a massive payday after the season.
Campbell already stole headlines last week when he put together an iconic performance against the Ravens with a facial laceration that required stitches. As if that wasn't enough to cement his status as a true fan favorite in Detroit, the third-year linebacker had the best performance of the season in Week 4.
Jack Campbell Continues His Breakout Campaign with Week 4 Display
Filling the stat sheet against the Browns, Campbell finished the game with 11 tackles, one tackle for loss, and 2 QB hurries, while receiving a season-high 89.3 defensive grade on Pro Football Focus. Doing this while having the green dot on defense only accentuates Campbell's significance for DC Kelvin Sheppard's unit.
Campbell already has 37 tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss, and a forced fumble through four games, while grading as one of the best linebackers in the league, per PFF. If he keeps this up, the former first-round pick would almost certainly get his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors. While this suggests that the Lions have a true difference-maker in the middle of their defense, it will come with a big price tag.
Once Campbell's rookie contract is up, he will be in line to be one of the highest-paid linebackers in the league. He will be a prime candidate to join the likes of Fred Warner and Roquan Smith, who are the only LBs in the league who make over $20 million per season.
Fortunately for the Lions, Campbell is only in his third season, and they may choose to delay this extension because they have the right to exercise his fifth-year option. While there may be short-term benefits for doing so, the upside of locking one of your best players to a long-term extension sooner rather than later might overshadow those.
For now, however, Lions fans don't have much to worry about. They have their defensive leader, who is the embodiment of Dan Campbell's grit and grind on the field. GM Brad Holmes can worry about what it will take to keep him around long-term.