Falcons Win 13 Games? Calais Campbell's Bold Claim, 'Confidence' in Arthur Smith

Newly signed defensive tackle Calais Campbell hasn't been shy about placing high expectations on the Atlanta Falcons entering 2023 - in part because of his belief in coach Arthur Smith.

Shortly after signing with the Atlanta Falcons, 15-year veteran defensive tackle Calais Campbell made headlines after saying believes the team could potentially play into February's Super Bowl should quarterback Desmond Ridder take the next step.

But as things have progressed, that's only the tip of the iceberg for Campbell's optimism in the direction the Falcons are headed.

Speaking on CBS Sports' podcast "The Crew," Campbell discussed several reasons for picking Atlanta in free agency - and delivered an advantageous prediction on the team's success.

"When I look at the Falcons and where they're at and where they're positioned on the schedule, I'm like 'man, this could be a 13-win team,'" Campbell said.

The 36-year-old Campbell has done just about everything as a professional football player - six Pro Bowl's, three All-Pro's, Walter Payton Man of the Year, Hall of Fame All-2010's team, and more ... but he's never won a Super Bowl.

Getting the elusive ring is one of the things that's kept him coming back - and ultimately led him to sign with the Falcons, even though the team hasn't spent a game above .500 since the end of the 2017 season.

However, Campbell is sold on the vision of Falcons coach Arthur Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot; he believes in the offense, citing stout playmakers and an offensive line that is "one of the best in the league" to help make Ridder's life easier.

When reviewing Atlanta's 2022 results, Campbell determined the bigger issue laid defensively - and felt like his presence, when paired with an influx of talent spearheaded by safety Jessie Bates III, defensive tackle David Onyemata and linebacker Kaden Elliss, could help take the unit to a new level.

Campbell also praised some of the Falcons' returning standouts, including defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and cornerback A.J. Terrell, and feels there's plenty of young players capable of stepping up, as well.

As such, when looking at Atlanta's fourth-place schedule and considerable talent upgrades, Campbell became intrigued - especially when comparing the situation to some of his other suitors.

The New York Jets were considered favorites for Campbell, who received a recruiting pitch from quarterback Aaron Rodgers, likely soon to be the next Jets quarterback. Another team who expressed interest in Campbell is the Buffalo Bills.

But ultimately, in Campbell's eyes, the AFC is a "gauntlet," especially the East division, which makes the path to success a little murkier in contrast to that of the Falcons.

There's also the point that Campbell is a big fan of Smith, who he faced when the latter was the Tennessee Titans' offensive coordinator. The result of their matchups was mutual respect - and immense "confidence" in Smith as a coach and play-caller.

"His offenses are the hardest to figure out," Campbell said. "There's a lot of offensive minds out there where it's like 'okay, they might be brilliant minds, but their system is simple for me to go out there and exploit,' versus Arthur Smith, he'll make it challenging - it was hard, you couldn't just exploit it, he had a lot of tendency breakers."

Campbell prides himself on watching tape and "studying the game" to better understand offenses ... but he simply couldn't crack Smith's case. That thought stuck with him, and evidently proved to be valuable in his decision to join the Falcons.

But there's still so much more to it than confidence in coaching - it's the belief that Atlanta's added the right pieces to an already ascending young roster, that Ridder is primed for a second-year jump and that the schedule sets up favorably enough to surprise many on the outside.

As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words ... and Campbell's words are already loud. But considering where he's at in his career, signing with the Falcons is as much an indication of where the organization stands than any prediction or vote of confidence.

And yet, the words simply keep growing louder ...

"This team's going to be built to make a run," Campbell said.

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You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft

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