Calais Campbell on Garoppolo: ‘I’m licking my chops’

With another failed attempt to appeal Tom Brady’s four-game ‘Deflategate’ suspension, it appears likely that the Patriots’ Jimmy Garoppolo will be under center for the Cardinals’ opener in September.

Cardinals tackle Calais Campbell told CBS Sports Radio’s Tiki and Tierney that he’s looking forward to facing Garoppolo, who has never started an NFL game.

“Oh yeah, I’m licking my chops, man,” Campbell said. “You know a rookie quarterback, pretty much, it’s always exciting when you get a guy like that for his first game, because he’s going to be nervous. He’s probably going to be sitting there holding the ball a little longer or trying to get rid of it quick, throwing bad balls and stuff. As a vet, we definitely pride ourselves on welcoming rookies the right way.”

Campbell had five sacks and 61 tackles last season for Arizona. Over his last seven NFL seasons, he averaged 6.9 sacks per year.

Garoppolo, meanwhile, has played 11 NFL games — starting zero — over the course of two seasons. He’s attempted just 31 passes with one touchdown and no interceptions. At Eastern Illinois University, he posted a career 62.8 completion percentage in 45 games.

Brady is a 16-year NFL veteran with four Super Bowl titles to his name, but Campbell’s excitement for his absence may be premature. On Bickley & Marotta on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM on Wednesday, the Boston Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy pointed to the 2008 season, when Matt Cassel filled in for nearly an entire season while Brady was injured. The Patriots went 11-5 that year.

“Two words: Matt Cassel. That’s all I know. I was there in 2008, they ripped off 11 wins,” Shaughnessy said. “[Garoppolo] has been in the system here for a couple years. I don’t know what he can do. He’s not that tall. We just haven’t seen him.”

The Cardinals and Patriots will begin their 2016 campaigns at University of Phoenix Stadium on Sept. 11 at 5:30 p.m.

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