On negotiations with C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who left for Detroit for an underwhelming one-year, $6.5 million deal that could reach $8M with incentives:
“At some point, you run out of resources and so we were very clear that at some point we were going to have to go in a different direction. And those first couple days, we tried and then we pivoted. I think that’s one of the most important things in free agency. You can go in with a plan, but you have to be able to pivot and have other options and not get stuck with nothing. At that point, that’s where we went, and when we pivoted, I think that was kind of where it ends.”
The shift in roster building:
“It’s no secret that sometime, relatively soon, we want to extend our quarterback [Jalen Hurts], and our roster building is going to turn a little bit here, from a quarterback on a rookie deal towards a quarterback hopefully on a long-term deal. Not that we have anything done, but obviously, our goal is to give Jalen here for a long time.”
The disconnect on Fletcher Cox:
“I don’t really understand the perception on Fletch. I think Fletch is a great player. He had seven sacks. I don’t know how many defensive tackles in the league had seven sacks, but not many. … He took less to come back. He was offered more.”
-Cox had an offer from the New York Jeys for $12M, according to an NFL source.
On low-cost signings like Rashaad Penny, Greedy Williams, Nicholas Morrow, and Justin Evans:
“We like these kinds of high-upside guys, lottery tickets, understanding that they got to prove it. They have a chip on their shoulder. They have talent, but it hasn’t worked out perfectly for where they are. If you can hit on some of those guys, I think it’s mutually beneficial.”
