New England Patriots rumors: 3 Packers to target in 2022 NFL free agency

De’Vondre Campbell is an interesting option at linebacker for the New England Patriots

A player who is looking for a major payday in the 2022 NFL offseason is linebacker De’Vondre Campbell who redefined his career in Green Bay.

A versatile linebacker, Campbell overcame injuries that nagged his career with the Arizona Cardinals to morph into an All-Pro inside linebacker with the Packers.  At 28 years old, he is in the prime of his career, but is a veteran player Bill Belichick could look at to fill the void if Dont’a Hightower did in fact play his last game in a New England Patriots uniform.

In signing with the Packers on a one-year, $2 million deal in 2021, Campbell is exactly the type of player Belichick adores.  Not only did he continue to work on his skillset, but he locked out the outside criticism to become one of the top linebackers in the NFL in 2021.

"“Everybody just kind of counted me out,” Campbell told the media prior to the team’s Divisional round game. “I dealt with a lot of stuff last year in Arizona that I never talked about because nobody really cares. At the end of the day, people just care about results. I was just honest with myself. I was injured, I didn’t feel like I played the best but I didn’t feel like I played terrible, but that’s not what everybody else thought. Honestly, I don’t really care about other people’s opinions, but I just knew what was at stake, so I bet on myself, as I always will.”"

Doesn’t that just sound like a future Patriots player?

With 102 tackles to go along with 2.0 sacks in the 2021 NFL season, Campbell would certainly be an upgrade over the production the team got at inside linebacker between Hightower and Ja’Whaun Bentley.  Value wise, Belichick and the Patriots will have to be careful if they have interest in Campbell.

Coming off an All-Pro season, he will be looking to cash in.  The Patriots can’t afford to overspend for a player who may have already played his best season.