Why the Saints had to trade Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
Trading good players is never fun or easy for an NFL team. For the Saints, they had to do that on Tuesday. The Saints traded defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and a 2025 7th-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for a 2023 5th-round pick and a 2024 6th-round pick. Why did the Saints trade one of […]
Trading good players is never fun or easy for an NFL team. For the Saints, they had to do that on Tuesday. The Saints traded defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and a 2025 7th-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for a 2023 5th-round pick and a 2024 6th-round pick.
Why did the Saints trade one of their best players in the secondary for such a cheap price?
Unfortunately, they didn't really have much of a choice. According to Nick Underhill, the Saints and Gardner-Johnson could not come to an agreement on a contract extension.
The Saints viewed him as a nickel defender, the role he has played for them during his career. He wanted to be paid as a safety, which is also completely fair. His versatility allows him to play both roles. It all depends on the team/defense.
The situation boiled over over the past couple of weeks. Eventually, he refused coaching due to the dispute, and the Saints knew that a trade was inevitable. That came to fruition today as they dealt him to the Eagles. The Eagles plan on using him as a safety, rather than solely as a nickel defender.
That means his contract extension would be substantially more expensive for the team. The Eagles will probably pay that price since they just made this move for him. The Saints were not willing to do that with the other safeties they have on the roster.
Gardner-Johnson was always a beacon of energy for the defense of the Saints. His value is certainly more than the usual nickel cornerback. He is physical and plays with an edge that few other players do. The Saints will miss his presence in the secondary.
Featured Image via USA TODAY-Sports
