2017 NFL Defensive Player of the Year debate: Calais Campbell tops the list

Published:
honors-180131-sl

The night before Super Bowl LII, the NFL will salute its best players and plays from the 2017 season with "NFL Honors," a star-studded football and entertainment event hosted by Rob Riggle from the Cyrus Northrop Memorial Auditorium at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. Here's the broadcasting information for Saturday night's festivities:

-- 8 p.m. ET on NFL Network: Super Bowl Saturday Night, featuring all the red-carpet coverage.
-- 9 p.m. ET on NBC: 7th Annual NFL Honors

One of the awards that will be presented on Saturday: Defensive Player of the Year for the 2017 season. Who gets your vote?

  This is a tough one to decide, with many strong candidates to consider, including 
 [Chargers](/teams/losangeleschargers/profile?team=LAC) DE 
 [Joey Bosa](/player/joeybosa/2555249/profile), 
 [Cardinals](/teams/arizonacardinals/profile?team=ARI) LB 
 [Chandler Jones](/player/chandlerjones/2533538/profile) and 
 [Cowboys](/teams/dallascowboys/profile?team=DAL) DE 
 [Demarcus Lawrence](/player/demarcuslawrence/2543490/profile). But I thought 
 [Calais Campbell](/player/calaiscampbell/744/profile) played a huge role in bringing Jacksonville's defense together. He notched 14.5 sacks in 2017, easily a career high, and he's a strong run-stopper -- it's surely no coincidence that the 
 [Jaguars](/teams/jacksonvillejaguars/profile?team=JAX) reached the AFC title game after bringing Campbell into the fold. 

  Pass rusher 
 [Calais Campbell](/player/calaiscampbell/744/profile) (14.5 sacks) took an entire defense -- and team -- to a new level. He set the tone for a defensive line, which set the tone for the entire defense, which carried the Jags to the playoffs. 

  Cam Jordan caused problems all season long on an improved 
 [Saints](/teams/neworleanssaints/profile?team=NO) defense. He was one of the reasons the unit went from 
 [31st in points allowed in 2016](http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?seasonType=REG&offensiveStatisticCategory=null&d-447263-n=1&d-447263-o=1&d-447263-p=1&d-447263-s=TOTAL_POINTS_GAME_AVG&tabSeq=2&season=2016&role=OPP&Submit=Go&archive=true&conference=null&defensiveStatisticCategory=GAME_STATS&qualified=false) to 
 [10th this season](http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?tabSeq=2&season=2017&seasonType=REG&role=OPP&d-447263-n=1&d-447263-o=1&d-447263-p=1&conference=ALL&defensiveStatisticCategory=GAME_STATS&d-447263-s=TOTAL_POINTS_GAME_AVG). Plus, 13 sacks is pretty dang good. 

  I almost wanted to be a hipster and 
 [pick him for MVP](http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000911866/article/2017-nfl-mvp-debate-tom-brady-todd-gurley-splitting-votes-in-tight-race), but DPOY works just fine. It's funny: A lot of folks thought Campbell pulled a cash grab when he spurned the 
 [Broncos](/teams/denverbroncos/profile?team=DEN) for the 
 [Jaguars](/teams/jacksonvillejaguars/profile?team=JAX). Turns out, Campbell is a pretty good talent evaluator, as well. 
   

   

I really thought he was going to be the Charles Haley to this young team as it won the Super Bowl a year ahead of schedule. If only.

 [Harrison Smith](/player/harrisonsmith/2532948/profile) played lights-out this season and was 
 [Pro Football Focus' highest-graded player](https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-harrison-smith-the-pff-dwight-stephenson-award-winner?utm_content=buffercf8fa&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=nfl) on Minnesota's stellar defense. 

  It's not often that you see a player putting together career numbers in his 10th season, but that's what 
 [Calais Campbell](/player/calaiscampbell/744/profile) just did. In addition to blowing past his previous career-high in sacks, Campbell added plenty of menace to the league's best defense. Jacksonville's secondary was surely outstanding this season, but it's always nice to have a pass rush that can make quarterbacks uncomfortable. 
 
 [Jalen Ramsey](/player/jalenramsey/2555280/profile) changed opposing game plans simply by being on the field. And when teams tested the second-year stud, he made them regret that decision. Over and over and over again. 

  No free-agent acquisition had a bigger impact on his team than 
 [Calais Campbell](/player/calaiscampbell/744/profile). People literally questioned why he would sign with Jacksonville this past offseason. He responded by producing 14.5 sacks and becoming one of the key elements in the league's second-ranked defense. 
 
 [Calais Campbell](/player/calaiscampbell/744/profile) had the best performance of his career in his first season with Jacksonville. He set the tone with 14.5 sacks and others followed his high-level play. 

  Everyone's sleeping on 
 [Chandler Jones](/player/chandlerjones/2533538/profile), but 
 [he led the NFL with 17 sacks](http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?tabSeq=0&statisticCategory=SACKS&conference=null&season=2017&seasonType=REG). It's unfortunate when a player puts up a banner season ... only to get overlooked because his team performed poorly. 
 
 [Calais Campbell](/player/calaiscampbell/744/profile) was exactly the interior threat the 
 [Jaguars](/teams/jacksonvillejaguars/profile?team=JAX) needed. He is a veteran guy who came in and dominated, totaling 14.5 sacks. 

  The 
 [Jaguars](/teams/jacksonvillejaguars/profile?team=JAX)' defense took the next step with players like Campbell leading the charge up front. He had 14.5 sacks in his first year in Jacksonville.