Cards GM wants to re-sign Jones: We’re not in business of losing good players
The Arizona Cardinals could sign linebacker Chandler Jones to a new deal in just a matter of time.
Jones - who requested a trade during the offseason due to his contract situation - kicked off the 2021 campaign with a 5-sack performance against the Tennessee Titans in Week 1, putting extra pressure on the Cardinals to extend him.
Arizona general manager Steve Keim addressed Jones' potential extension Friday, saying the matter of the team wanting to get a deal done is an "easy question," according to Kevin Zimmerman of 98.7 Arizona Sports.
"We're not in the business of moving on and getting rid of good football players," Keim said.
However, Keim refused to reveal where the negotiations currently stand.
"You always want to get good players under contract," he said, according to Darren Urban of azcardinals.com. "But there are always a million different moving parts. I have to continue to look at the roster moving forward, generally from a three-year standpoint."
Jones, 31, has one year left on a five-year, $82.5-million extension he signed in 2017, and he's set to make $15.5 million in 2021.
The three-time Pro Bowler racked up five sacks and two forced fumbles against the Titans in the first contest since his trade request, becoming the only player to have multiple games with at least four sacks or two-plus forced fumbles within the last 20 NFL seasons.
"I can't be more proud of a player than I am of Chandler Jones," Keim said. "The way he came back from that bicep injury. He came to camp in probably the best shape of his career. Really lean, you can see it in his play, his explosiveness, his first step, his repertoire of pass rush moves. He came back with a vengeance."
Jones led the Cards in sacks for three straight campaigns from 2017-19, setting up career highs with 19 sacks and eight forced fumbles during the 2019 season. However, a torn bicep limited him to only five appearances and one sack in 2020.
Copyright (C) 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.