Cardinals Rumors

In Week 1 of the 2021 season, Cardinals pass rusher Chandler Jones did everything in his power to prove to the world that he still has plenty of gas left in the thank. The 31-year-old battered the Titans’ O-line for a whopping five sacks and two forced fumbles, thereby announcing a full and triumphant return from a biceps tear that ended his 2020 campaign prematurely.

Of course, 2021 is the final year of Jones’ current contract, and Arizona’s apparent unwillingness to give him a new deal has been bothering him since at least the 2020 offseason. He skipped minicamp and even requested a trade this year in an effort to force the issue, but the Cardinals (understandably) did not want to grant his trade request. GM Steve Keim did indicate earlier this month that he would continue discussing the matter with Jones’ agent and that he would like Jones to finish his career in the desert.

However, it does not sound like Keim is willing to make anything close to the type of commitment that Jones wants. According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, the Cardinals have only offered a one-year extension at this point, and that proposal included a $14MM base salary for 2022, plus $1.5MM in incentives. It included a meager $4.5MM in fully-guaranteed money, and given that Jones’ 2021 pay of $15.5MM is already a below-market rate, Jones was quick to reject the offer.

Jones’ agent, Ethan Lock, went on to say that the Cardinals’ proposal was made in July, and that there have been no talks since.

“The July 21 offer, the only one [the Cardinals] have made to date, was rejected without hesitation,” Lock said. “Since then, I have read that the parties are continuing to talk about an extension – that is incorrect. There have been no talks. None. In fact, the Cardinals have not engaged in any meaningful negotiations about extending Chandler during this entire period.”

Obviously, Jones is not going to post five sacks every game. But if he continues performing at close to his usual Pro Bowl level, Keim will have a tough decision to make, and he can expect plenty of phone calls from rival clubs as we get closer to the trade deadline.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Chandler Jones acknowledged his offseason trade request while chatting with reporters on Wednesday (Twitter link via Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic). However, the Cardinals defensive end says that he’s keeping his mind off of any contract issues and letting his agent handle matters. 

Jones asked Arizona to deal him sometime in July. As it stands, the 31-year-old has one year and $15.5MM to go on his contract. He wants a new deal now — not in the spring — to cover the remainder of his prime and perhaps some post-prime seasons.

A short-term deal in the $20MM AAV neighborhood could make sense for both sides. At the same time, he doesn’t have a ton of leverage after losing much of 2020 to a biceps injury. In his five games, he registered eleven tackles, one sack, and seven QB hits. On the whole, he didn’t look like his usual self, even while healthy.

The Cardinals’ previous refusal to trade Jones signals a desire to stay the course with the three-time Pro Bowler. But, if talks do not progress in the coming weeks, he could be a potential trade candidate before the deadline.

Jones, winding down his five-year, $82.5MM deal, averaged 15 sacks per season across his first four years (2016-2019) in Arizona.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.