Chandler Jones was named the NFC’s defensive player of the week on Wednesday in recognition of his five-sack performance in the Cardinals’ season-opening win over the Titans and that was a pretty good sign that his mind is where it needs to be after a contentious offseason.
Jones did not attend any offseason work and confirmed on Wednesday that he requested a trade as he moved into the final year of his contract without an extension, but none of that dissatisfaction affected him in the season opener. Jones told reporters that he has turned his full attention to football while letting any negotiations on a new deal go on without his direct involvement.
“I think I play best when I don’t go in thinking about the deal. . . . I’m just playing football, honestly,” Jones said, via the team’s website. “I’m letting my agent take care of all of that. It is the last year of my contract and I let that take care of itself.”
No one’s expecting five sacks every week for Jones this season, but he’s played at a high level when healthy throughout his time in Arizona and another year like that will likely lead to someone throwing a big contract offer his way come the end of the season.