After the Detroit Lions failed to pick up Jack Campbell's fifth-year option a few weeks ago, it opened the door to the Dallas Cowboys' dream scenario. Could the star linebacker be available for trade? Could Jerry Jones make a splash on Campbell in 2027 free agency?
Those were the questions flashing through the minds of Cowboys fans everywhere. The All-Pro linebacker would have instantly been the leader of a Dallas defense desperate for stability. But instead, the Lions are making sure the captain of their defense isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
According to Ian Rapoport, the Lions agreed to a four-year extension with the fourth-year linebacker, but the terms of the deal are still unknown. It appears as though it'll be a pretty team-friendly deal, but after Campbell's breakout 2025, Detroit still must've had to pay up to extend him through 2030.
The Dallas Cowboys won't be bringing in Jack Campbell after all
The 25-year-old logged a career-high 176 total tackles (89 solo) in 2025 and nine tackles for loss, cementing himself as one of the best young defenders in the NFL. He's improved considerably with each passing season, and is now one of the better linebackers in football playing for a Cowboys' rival.
Unfortunately, trading for him never would've been feasible for the Cowboys. After putting up those types of numbers, he would've required a respectable amount of draft capital. It also would have been silly if the Lions actually dealt him. He's a lynchpin of their defense.
The 2023 first-round pick would have been perfect. He could've been DeMarvion Overshown's running mate at linebacker, but instead, Jones and Christian Parker felt more comfortable betting on Dee Winters of the San Francisco 49ers at a discounted price and building the defense in other ways.
Dallas hasn't sought to make splashes on defense since the Quinnen Williams trade. Rashan Gary is a small-scale move, and they signed a small platoon of reclamation projects in free agency. Honestly, moving up one pick to secure Caleb Downs was probably the biggest move they made on defense all offseason.
But that's Jerry Jones' M.O. For an owner who runs one of the most illustrious franchises of the NFL, he sure is allergic to making aggressive moves.
The Lions were rightfully never going to let the Iowa product leave the building, so this was merely a pipe dream, but it would've been electric if Jerry found a way to make it happen.
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