Calais Campbell blown away by Nnamdi Madubuike, former Ravens teammates in return to Baltimore

Join the huddle. Sign up here for Ravens updates in your inbox.

Calais Campbell can’t believe how much his friends have grown.

In his first press conference since his return to Baltimore, he spoke with pride about the players his former teammates have become in the three years since his last stint as a Raven.

Nnamdi Madubuike, in particular, brought a big smile. Campbell was impressed by how big and physically imposing Madubuike’s gotten.

The last time Campbell was on the Ravens, Madubuike was a solid young player who had yet to realize his potential. The following year, he exploded and finished with 13 sacks. Madubuike credited Campbell’s mentorship for helping set up his success.

Campbell was impressed by how Madubuike’s “got the chest popping out, looking as strong as can be” despite his 2025 season being cut short by a neck injury.

“It’s been a treat,” he said of their reunion.

Head coach Jesse Minter declined to provide an update on Madubuike’s prognosis.

Campbell also spoke proudly of Travis Jones’ development into the strong and gifted player he caught glimpses of three years ago.

“I teased him a lot, but I was hard on him because I could see the potential,” he said.

Even players beyond the line earned a shoutout. Campbell said it’s been like the first day back at school after summer break when you reunite with all of your friends — like linebacker Roquan Smith and cornerback Marlon Humphrey. In particular, he’s enjoyed watching Kyle Hamilton develop into “probably the best safety in football.”

Even the coaches are old friends. Campbell said he could tell Minter was destined for success even though he had been an assistant on John Harbaugh’s staff the last time he was here. And defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver is Campbell’s favorite coach of all time and a big reason for his return.

Running it back

This is going to be Campbell’s last season.

Or, at least, that’s what he’s saying right now. He also said the same thing last season, and he truly meant it then, too.

“But I always tell myself to play well enough to be able to get a job again if I want to,” Campbell said.

At 39, Campbell still fancies himself a “fairly good” football player. He might be underselling himself.

Campbell’s 6.5 sacks for Arizona in Year 18 would have topped the Ravens last year. And he did it without much support, Minter pointed out.

While his stats have gone up, his snaps have gone down. That’s just how it is when you’re pushing 40, Campbell said. He told Minter he’s trying to get in shape for 40 snaps a game. Minter told him he’d be happy if Campbell can handle 30.

“I’m excited about what he’ll bring between the lines to our defense and then also very excited about him as a person,” Minter said.

Campbell is already seen as a leader among the the friends he reunited with, but Minter said what he does in the community and for an organization makes everyone else excited.

Campbell is just four games away from passing Jim Marshall for the most NFL regular season games played by a defensive lineman. It’s a record he can’t wrap his mind around, nor is it one he’s assuming he’ll pass.

“Hopefully, God willing, I can accomplish that, but I know in this business that’s never a guarantee,” Campbell said.

Owning the defense

Minter may have established himself as a defensive mastermind, but he’s not tied to his system.

With so much defensive brainpower on the staff and roster, Minter has kept himself open to what coaches and players are thinking.

One of the guys taking the most ownership is his four-time Pro Bowl linebacker, Smith.

Since the start of the offseason program, Smith has been leading the room. He’s communicating, both to get guys in the right places, Weaver said, and to elevate the energy — as evidenced by his smack-talk during the post-practice competitions.

It’s exactly what Minter wants to see out of his middle linebacker, he said.

This defense has a lot to prove after it fell short of expectations last year, and Smith said Tuesday that he feels he has a lot to prove.

“It wasn’t the season that I wanted to have, regardless of the circumstances,” he said.

The first day of the offseason, he began assessing his 2025 performance and then focused on improving. And Minter feels Smith has positioned himself to do more than improve, saying he’s been “unbelievable” since they met in February.

“I’m only judging him since I’ve gotten here, and I could not be more pleased with what Roquan’s done,” Minter said. “I expect him to be one of the best linebackers in the National Football League.”