Chandler Jones has Arizona Cardinals executive in his corner
By Jim Koch
Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim has heard the rumors. Over the past couple of weeks, the contract of outside linebacker Chandler Jones has been a popular subject among those who follow the team. Some have speculated that the Cards will opt to move on from the player who’s set to count $20.8 million against the club’s salary cap in 2021.
This past Friday morning, on the “Doug and Wolf” radio show, Keim did his best to quell the scuttlebutt surrounding Jones. When asked if Arizona had any plans of moving on from the star pass-rusher, the front office’s top executive offered up a firm response. “I’ll reject that”, answered Keim, and one couldn’t help but believe that he was being completely truthful about his plans for retaining the highly-paid Jones.
Keim’s ringing endorsement notwithstanding, the Cardinals brass would have to admit that it would be tempting to part ways with Jones. The salary-cap space the organization would gain by doing so ($15.5 million) could certainly come in handy. The Cards have an extensive list of free agents this year that includes Patrick Peterson, Larry Fitzgerald, Kenyan Drake and Haason Reddick.
What transpired for Jones last fall was forgettable, to say the least. During a week-five victory over the New York Jets, the 6’5, 265 pounder suffered a season-ending biceps injury. Up until that point, Jones had registered just 11 tackles and one sack in the four-plus games he participated in for Arizona.
Even so, it looks as if Keim and the Cardinals want to keep Jones on the roster. Since his arrival from the New England Patriots in 2016, the 30-year old has recorded 61 of his 97 career quarterback sacks. Just two years ago, Jones totaled an outstanding 19 sacks for Big Red’s defensive unit.
The deal that brought Jones to the desert back in ’16 will go down as one of the most successful trades in Cards history. Arizona deserves kudos for prying the incredibly-talented defender away from the Patriots. Keim’s comments this past Friday indicate that Jones could remain with the squad for years to come.