Cardinals edge rusher Chandler Jones confirmed earlier this week he asked for a trade this offseason after not getting an extension. He told reporters to ask General Manager Steve Keim for details.
So Keim was asked about it Friday during his appearance on 98.7 Arizona Sports Station.
“Any conversations with our players and specific agents remain confidential,” Keim told Burns and Gambo, via Darren Urban of the team website.
Jones is making $15.5 million in the final year of his current contract. That ranks 13th in cash spent at his position this season, according to overthecap.com.
Jones gave Keim’s coat pocket a friendly pat Sunday after the three-time Pro Bowler made five sacks and forced two fumbles. The gesture prompted Keim to say Jones was “rubbing the wrong pockets.”
“We’re not in the business of moving on and getting rid of good football players,” Keim said. “That’s a pretty easy answer.”
Keim, though, wouldn’t reveal where Jones’ desire for a contract extension stands.
“You always want to get good players under contract,” Keim said. “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.”
The Steelers last week signed T.J. Watt to a four-year, $112 million extension to remain in Pittsburgh through at least 2025, so Jones surely is looking for a similar deal.
Jones, 31, tore a biceps in Week 5 of last year, which ended his season after only one sack. He led the league with 17 sacks in 2017, part of a five-year run of double-digit sacks from 2015-19. He had 19 sacks and led the league with eight forced fumbles in 2019.
