Chandler Jones (DE) - Pro Football Rumors

Cardinals’ Chandler Jones Confirms Trade Request

September 15th, 2021 at 12:37pm CST by Zachary Links

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.

Cardinals, Chandler Jones To Discuss Deal

September 8th, 2021 at 9:22am CST by Zachary Links

Just a couple of months ago, Chandler Jones was looking for a trade to take him out of Arizona. Now, Cardinals GM Steve Keim says he’s looking to keep the standout edge rusher beyond 2021.

“Well, he’s coming off the injury and obviously there’s no secret there, but I think that’s one of those things that we’ll continue to have one-on-one talks with him and his agent,” Keim said (via Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic). “I don’t do those things publicly, but Chandler is a guy we love, he has the respect of the guys in the locker room, and he’s a guy I personally would like to see finish as a Cardinal. But you know how this business works. It’s not always that easy.”

As it stands, Jones is set for one more year, a base salary of $15.5MM, and a cap figure of $20.2MM. Jones flirted with a holdout during minicamp in June and, in late July, he pushed the front office for a trade.

The Cardinals acquired Jones from the Patriots in 2016 and furnished him with a five-year, $82.5MM deal in 2017. During his first four seasons in Arizona, Jones didn’t miss a game while averaging 15 sacks per season. He appeared in the first five games of 2020, collecting 11 tackles, one sack, and seven QB hits. However, a torn bicep forced him to miss the rest of the season. That didn’t help his leverage, but the Cardinals would like to keep the 31-year-old — at the right price.

Chandler Jones Requested Trade

July 25th, 2021 at 12:57pm CST by Zachary Links

Cardinals star pass rusher Chandler Jones requested a trade this offseason, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter). Jones is said to be unhappy with his contract situation — which has apparently been the case for a while now — and while the club expects him to report to camp, it remains a situation worth monitoring.

Jones flirted with a holdout during minicamp in June, putting pressure on the front office for a new pact. Still, his decision took many by surprise, given his track record of showing up to practice and participating in all of the offseason’s voluntary work. Jones, 31, is currently set to enter the final year of his contract. As it stands, he’s scheduled to make $15.5MM. Given his age, he won’t beat Joey Bosa‘s five-year, $135MM re-up, but a shorter deal in the $20MM AAV neighborhood would make sense.

The Cardinals do not want to trade Jones, Fowler hears. Still, the three-time Pro Bowler is sending a clear message — he won’t be a happy camper unless the team pays him what he’s worth.

After acquiring him from the Patriots in 2016, the Cardinals gave Jones a five-year, $82.5MM deal in 2017. During his first four seasons in Arizona, Jones didn’t miss a game while averaging 15 sacks per season. He appeared in the first five games of 2020, collecting 11 tackles, one sack, and seven QB hits. However, a torn bicep forced him to miss the rest of the season. That didn’t help his leverage, but he’s doing a good job to try and recoup some of it this summer.

Rory Parks contributed to this post.

Cardinals LB Chandler Jones Skipping Minicamp

June 8th, 2021 at 10:23pm CST by Ben Levine

The Cardinals kicked off their mandatory three-day minicamp today, but one of their top players wasn’t in attendance. Darren Urban of the team’s website reports that Chandler Jones was a no-show at practice today. Coach Kliff Kingsbury said that Jones (along with linebacker Jordan Hicks) isn’t expected to be in attendance at all this week.

“We’ve been in communication with both guys, we know the situations and I’ll leave that dialogue between us,” Kingsbury said. “Nothing else to report on that.”

It’s not too difficult to connect the dots here. Jones is entering the final year of his contract, and the 31-year-old is likely putting some pressure on the front office as he pursues a new pact. As Urban notes, the veteran’s absence is especially notable since Jones had earned a reputation of “a player who showed up to everything in the offseason, including all voluntary work.”

Fortunately, Jones was in attendance during Monday’s media day, so the three-time Pro Bowler clearly doesn’t expect his pseudo-holdout to get out of hand.

Jones was traded to Arizona from the Patriots in 2016, and the Cardinals gave him a five-year, $82.5MM deal a year later. During his first four seasons in Arizona, Jones didn’t miss a game while averaging 15 sacks per season. He appeared in the first five games of 2020, collecting 11 tackles, one sack, and seven QB hits. However, a torn bicep forced him to miss the rest of the season.

Cardinals’ Chandler Jones Done For Year

October 14th, 2020 at 9:31am CST by Zachary Links

Cardinals linebacker Chandler Jones is done for the year, according to head coach Kliff Kingsbury. Jones was hoping to avoid it, but he’s now set to undergo season-ending biceps surgery.

Jones, 30, managed 19 sacks in 2019 and led the league with eight forced fumbles. A first-round pick of the Patriots back in 2012, Jones hasn’t missed a game since joining the Cardinals in 2016. Before the injury, Jones started a perfect 69 games in a row. That streak is now over — ditto for his run of four straight seasons with at least eleven sacks.

Arizona is above .500 and in the thick of the NFC playoff hunt, but two of their three wins have come against the likes of the Washington Football Team and the Jets. They’ve looked bad in their two losses to the Lions and Panthers, and reserves like Jordan Phillips won’t be able to replace Jones’ production.

Jones was hoping to start extension talks with the Cardinals sometime soon, but those discussions will be tabled for a while. The veteran, 31 in February, is under contract for 2021 with a $15.5MM base salary.

The Cardinals – sans Jones – will face the Cowboys on Monday night.

Cardinals’ Chandler Jones Likely Done For Year?

October 11th, 2020 at 6:48pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Cardinals snapped a two-game skid to improve to 3-2, but they’ll be without a key piece of the defense moving forward. Defensive end Chandler Jones suffered a biceps injury during the win over the Jets, and head coach Kliff Kingsbury acknowledged after the game that it was “probably” season-ending.

That would indicate the team believes it’s a biceps tear. A first-round pick of the Patriots back in 2012, Jones has consistently been one of the league’s better pass-rushers in recent years. Arizona’s defense has been up and down, and the defensive front isn’t exactly overflowing with talent outside of Jones. Guys like Jordan Phillips, who has two sacks in four games, will be leaned on even more heavily to get pressure.

Jones came to the desert in a 2016 trade, and he hasn’t missed a game since. He started a perfect 69 games in a row for the Cardinals, but that streak will come to an end now. He’s had at least 11 sacks in each of his four seasons with Arizona, and he had 19 last year.

Arizona is above .500 and in the thick of the NFC playoff hunt, but skeptics would be inclined to point out two of their three wins have come against Washington and the Jets. They’ve looked bad in their two losses to the Lions and Panthers, and have been anything but steady. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has his work cut out for him now.

As for Jones’ financial situation, he’s under contract through the 2021 season. Interestingly we just heard a couple of weeks ago that there had been no extension talks between the two sides, to the surprise of some rival executives. Jones will turn 31 in February, and it’ll be interesting to see what effect this injury has on contract discussions this offseason.

Cardinals Haven’t Discussed Extension For Chandler Jones

September 20th, 2020 at 11:41am CST by Rory Parks

Teams are generally reluctant to discuss extensions for players who have multiple years remaining on their existing deals because it could encourage other players on the roster to demand a new deal before the club is prepared to give them one. The people introduce the Cardinals as Exhibit “A.”

Arizona recently finalized a two-year extension with star receiver DeAndre Hopkins, even though Hopkins was already under club control for three more seasons. But according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, the team has made no effort to rework Chandler Jones‘ deal, despite Jones’ continued excellence both on and off the field.

Jones is under contract through the 2021 season, but rival execs still believe it’s unusual that the Cardinals have not at least explored an extension. After all, Jones has been arguably the league’s best pass rusher since Arizona acquired him from the Patriots in March 2016, and the 60 sacks that he posted from 2016-19 are eight more than anyone else in the league during that span. The extension he signed in March 2017 will pay him a $16MM salary this year and a $15.5MM salary next season, but those payouts pale in comparison to the $25-$27MM AAVs that players like Joey Bosa and Myles Garrett recently pulled down from their clubs.

Jones, 30, is not the type of player to publicly voice his displeasure, but La Canfora says his contract situation has been “festering” all offseason. The fact that Hopkins got a new deal before ever playing a snap for the Cards certainly didn’t help matters, and it didn’t go unnoticed in the locker room. Though his age may prevent him from getting Bosa or Garrett money, Jones is certainly due for a pay bump, and it will be interesting to see if GM Steve Keim starts thinking about one before the end of the season.

We recently heard that the club has not engaged in any substantive contract talks with cornerback Patrick Peterson, and La Canfora confirms that report. Peterson, though, is playing out his contract year and is eligible for free agency in 2021.

Cardinals’ GM: “We’re Not Trading Patrick Peterson”

September 20th, 2019 at 11:22am CST by Rory Parks

Reports yesterday suggested that the Cardinals had inquired on star Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who recently requested a trade. It’s difficult to know the extent of Arizona’s interest in Ramsey, but those rumors did reignite some chatter around the Cardinals’ own stud CB, Patrick Peterson.

Peterson, who is currently serving a six-game ban for violating the league’s PED policy, requested a trade in 2018, though he walked back that request in January 2019. But in April, reports of tension between P2 and the team surfaced again, and then Peterson was hit with the suspension.

Although the three-time First Team All-Pro said in July that he’d like to be a Cardinal for life, Arizona’s reported interest in Ramsey led to some speculation as to whether the Cards would part with Peterson. However, Arizona GM Steve Keim said during a radio appearance Friday morning that Peterson is not going anywhere.

“We’re not trading Pat and that’s something we’ve been very consistent with,” Keim said (via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com). “You always ask yourself, does a move make us better or worse? To lose someone like Pat Peterson would make us worse.”

Due to tampering considerations, Keim would not address the Ramsey situation. However, he said that the team’s decision to restructure Chandler Jones‘ contract had nothing to do with an impending move, as some believed. The club’s cap space had shrunk to less than $1MM, and the restructure was just about creating flexibility.

Cardinals Inquire On Jalen Ramsey

September 19th, 2019 at 8:42am CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals might not be the leaders in the clubhouse for Jalen Ramsey, but they’re at least interested. The Cardinals don’t believe they’ll land the standout cornerback, but they did speak with the Jaguars about him, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears.

They also restructured the contract of linebacker Chandler Jones this week, Schefter hears, giving them an additional $4MM in cap flexibility this season. That’s money that could, in theory, be put towards acquiring Ramsey and giving him the top-of-the-market extension that he seeks.

Here’s where things stand on the Ramsey front: The Jaguars are asking two first-round picks in a trade, but clubs have yet to meet their asking price. So far, they’ve received offers of one first-round choice from two different clubs, and teams could up the ante as time moves on. Ramsey will be in uniform for the Jaguars’ Thursday night game against the Titans, but it sounds like the Jags are hoping to trade him on Friday. The Raiders are among the teams with interest in the standout corner and most of the league’s teams want him as well.

Schefter also passes along this interesting note, via Twitter – Earlier this week, one team reached out to the league office and asked whether Ramsey could play on Sunday for a new club after he played Thursday for Jacksonville. The league informed the team that Ramsey could not, as league rules restrict players to one game per week.

Trade Rumors: Carr, Raiders, Peterson, Taylor

October 28th, 2018 at 10:37am CST by Rory Parks

We learned earlier this morning that Buccaneers wide receiver DeSean Jackson has requested a trade, though the team wants to keep him. Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets that Jackson, on his way to the team bus this morning, declined to comment on the report.

With the trade deadline two days away, let’s round up a few more trade rumors from around the league (Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, who says many GMs expect there to be three to five “impactful” deals over the next 48 hours, offers a helpful primer, which includes a list of some of the most-discussed players on the market):

Albert Breer of TheMMQB says that the Raiders may not be done dealing just yet, though he does not expect the team to move Derek Carr (indeed, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported this morning that the Raiders have told Carr that he is the quarterback of the present and future). However, Oakland is open to moving Karl Joseph and Gareon Conley, though the Raiders are driving a “hard bargain” with teams interested in Conley.
Breer names a number of other players whose names we have not heard in recent rumblings but who could nonetheless be on the move: the Packers‘ Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, the 49ers‘ Pierre Garcon and Jimmie Ward, the Cardinals‘ Chandler Jones, and the Broncos‘ Shane Ray and Brandon Marshall. Breers adds that San Francisco would need to get something “significant” to deal Ward. He also says that, while teams are certainly interested in Denver corners Bradley Roby and Chris Harris, he thinks it would be difficult for the team to trade either.
If they had elected to trade Patrick Peterson, La Canfora writes that the Cardinals could have received a bounty for him, and may have even landed multiple first-round picks (in fact, several teams were already prepared to offer a first- and second-rounder). JLC reports that Peterson was considered the “crown jewel” of the deadline, and given his attractive contract status, he may be the subject of renewed trade rumors during the offseason.
Breer also writes that the Browns are open to trading Tyrod Taylor, whose contract structure could make a deal feasible. Meanwhile, Tony Grossi of ESPN.com suggests that Cleveland GM John Dorsey may be trying to acquire wide receiver help (Twitter link).
The Bills remain unlikely to trade LeSean McCoy, per Schefter.
Jets GM Mike Maccagnan has demonstrated a proclivity for making trades, and Rich Cimini of ESPN.com says Maccagnan has been doing his due diligence on everyone, including big-name players. But while there is a sense that New York could swing a deal, the fact that the team is in a no-man’s land between buyer and seller, and the fact that the roster does not have many tradeable pieces, could make a trade difficult to pull off.