The wheeling and dealing leading up to the trade deadline this season was prolific, with a wide array of stars switching teams. And that game of musical chairs nearly included Pro Bowl defensive tackle Calais Campbell. For a moment, it looked as if the Miami Dolphins were going to trade Campbell to the Baltimore Ravens, as NFL Media reports. However, that was until head coach Mike McDaniel stepped in and stopped the trade from happening, even telling Campbell this to his face in a meeting. 

McDaniel viewed Campbell as too valuable of a player to lose for his contributions on the field and for his leadership. Getting a 2026 fifth-rounder and some financial relief in exchange for Campbell — the reported compensation that was discussed between Baltimore and Miami — was not worth the squeeze in McDaniel’s eyes, particularly with the team still able to make a playoff push. 

Of course, the Ravens are quite familiar with Campbell as he played for the organization from 2020-2022, earning one of his six career Pro Bowl nods during his tenure. A reunion with Baltimore would’ve added to what was already a busy trade season for the club, also acquiring wideout Diontae Johnson and corner Tre’Davious White before the deadline. 

The 38-year-old is playing in his first season with the Dolphins, inking a one-year, $2 million deal with the organization last summer. Campbell played for the University of Miami during his college days, so this signing was something of a homecoming for the former Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year winner (2019). 

Instead of reuniting with the Ravens, Campbell and the Dolphins are hoping to crash the playoff party in the AFC. Since the deadline, they have won two straight and enter Sunday’s Week 12 action as the No. 9 seed in the conference but just a game behind the Denver Broncos in the loss column. Having Campbell in the fold for this critical period should be invaluable for McDaniel, just as he foresaw as he nixed that deadline deal.