CGJ Traded to Eagles

turbo_dog · 08-31-2022, 12:37 PM

https://www.nfl.com/news/2022-nfl-se...ers-down-to-53

1) The Saints' trade of Chauncey Gardner-Johnson to the Eagles made no sense. The 2019 fourth-rounder is headed into the final season of his rookie deal, and a few team-friendly explanations suggested New Orleans wanted to get something for Gardner-Johnson now, given that he wasn't going to be a priority in free agency next year -- but that explanation doesn't hold water. The Saints essentially received nothing in return: a 2023 fifth- and 2024 sixth-round pick in exchange for one of the league's best hybrid slot players and a 2025 seventh-rounder.

One season of "Ceedy Deuce" should be worth way more than that, and his production would have likely yielded the Saints a third-round compensatory pick if they'd been patient enough to wait for him to sign elsewhere in free agency next offseason. It was a salary dump before they even had to pay Gardner-Johnson his big salary. Per NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, "he really reacted to not getting the contract that he wanted" in extension talks with the team, but there have been no indications otherwise he was going to skip work or be a problem. Even the reports defending the Saints' position painted the decision as business, not personal. (The Saints, for what it's worth, also have a ton of cap space this season, having cleared room ahead of their failed pursuit of Deshaun Watson.)

It's clear the Saints feel great about their secondary depth. I do, too! But it's still puzzling that they gave away one of the league's best young players at his position. To put it another way: If Gardner-Johnson had been available in a trade in February, he would have been worth a second- or third-round pick at worst.

08-31-2022, 12:37 PM	#19
turbo_dog 1000 Posts + Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Atlanta Posts: 1,705	Re: CGJ Traded to Eagles https://www.nfl.com/news/2022-nfl-se...ers-down-to-53 1) The Saints' trade of Chauncey Gardner-Johnson to the Eagles made no sense. The 2019 fourth-rounder is headed into the final season of his rookie deal, and a few team-friendly explanations suggested New Orleans wanted to get something for Gardner-Johnson now, given that he wasn't going to be a priority in free agency next year -- but that explanation doesn't hold water. The Saints essentially received nothing in return: a 2023 fifth- and 2024 sixth-round pick in exchange for one of the league's best hybrid slot players and a 2025 seventh-rounder. One season of "Ceedy Deuce" should be worth way more than that, and his production would have likely yielded the Saints a third-round compensatory pick if they'd been patient enough to wait for him to sign elsewhere in free agency next offseason. It was a salary dump before they even had to pay Gardner-Johnson his big salary. Per NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, "he really reacted to not getting the contract that he wanted" in extension talks with the team, but there have been no indications otherwise he was going to skip work or be a problem. Even the reports defending the Saints' position painted the decision as business, not personal. (The Saints, for what it's worth, also have a ton of cap space this season, having cleared room ahead of their failed pursuit of Deshaun Watson.) It's clear the Saints feel great about their secondary depth. I do, too! But it's still puzzling that they gave away one of the league's best young players at his position. To put it another way: If Gardner-Johnson had been available in a trade in February, he would have been worth a second- or third-round pick at worst.