The Arizona Cardinals are planning to open contract negotiations with the agent for defensive end Calais Campbell, according to the Arizona Republic.
Campbell is in the last year of a rookie contract that pays him about $600,000 this season. He will be a free agent after the season if the team doesn't sign him to an extension.
A second-round pick out of Miami in 2008, Campbell has been one of the few bright spots for the 2-6 Cardinals. He leads the team with five sacks this season, and has blocked four field-goal attempts over the past four seasons.
"I trust in this organization and (general manager) Rod Graves; they'll do right by Calais," said Cardinals defensive end Darnell Dockett, who signed an extension before last season. "When you are trying to build a championship team, you got to start keeping your guys around. You can't let guys leak out of here and go to other teams. We're trying to get back to the Super Bowl. We got to not only work together but we also got to have the guys here to have the weapons to get it done."
