Cardinals sign DE Calais Campbell

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TEMPE, Ariz. -- Arizona Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell has signed a five-year contract extension worth $55 million with $31 million guaranteed, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter on Friday.

Campbell will make $30.25 million in the first two years of the deal, the source said.

The 6-foot-8, 300-pound lineman had 51 tackles and 22 assisted tackles last season. He also had eight sacks, two forced fumbles, 11 passes defensed, one fumble recovery, his first interception and blocked three field goals.

"I still have a long way to go," he said. "I'm 25, still a young guy, taking it one day at a time."

He said that while there was uncertainty about a long-term contract, he trusted the advice of his agent Ben Dogra.

"He reassured me that it was a long process, but it would get done and I'm really proud of the outcome," Campbell said. "I tried to do my best taking my mind off of it and let it play out the way it was supposed to."

Campbell is considered an integral part of a defense that emerged as the team's strength as Arizona went 7-2 after stumbling to a 1-6 start last season. After what was easily his best NFL season, Campbell said he has plenty of room for improvement.

"I made a lot of mistakes last year, too," he said. "Watching the film, breaking it down, I definitely could be a lot better."

Campbell said he doesn't mind the pressure of living up to his new contract.

"I like having pressure on me," he said. "It makes me work even harder."

The Cardinals had placed the "non-exclusive" franchise tag on Campbell on March 2.

Drafted in the second round in 2008 out of the University of Miami, he was the Cardinals' 2011 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year for his community work.

Information from ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter and The Associated Press was used in this report.

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