Campbell has plenty left in the tank on the outside edge. Even as he gets older, he will still be able to play DT.
He’s been one of the best FA’s in franchise history, if not the best.
I think they need to do everything possible to keep CC, including simply honoring the remaining year on his contract. The front office and ownership would look really bad if they release him. Although he may not be worth quite as much as they will be paying him, he has tremendous value to the team and the community at large.
NFL teams ask for a lot from their local communities, including having the taxpayers pay for new stadiums. They tout their value to the local community, including all their charitable works, as justification. Well, here's a guy who exemplifies everything an NFL team likes to brag about in terms of value to the local community. If they release him it will be very bad PR.
I think he just needs to play fewer snaps next season so he can stay fresh out there.