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Saints coach Dennis Allen explains 'not easy' decision to trade Chauncey Gardner-Johnson

By Adam Stites | Last updated 8/30/22

New Orleans Saints coach Dennis Allen said Tuesday that it was difficult for the team to make the choice to trade veteran safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson to the Philadelphia Eagles.

"That was not an easy decision," Allen told reporters in a press conference. "I love Chauncey, he's been a big part of what we've been able to do here, specifically defensively. He's been a big part of our organization for the last three years. And certainly, we wish him the best.

"We wouldn't have done that if we didn't feel extremely confident in the group that we have. We feel like the defensive backfield was one of the deeper positions that we had. And we had a chance to acquire more assets so that's the decision that we made."

Dennis Allen on the #Saints trading C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Eagles pic.twitter.com/vAL3f4gzye
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) August 30, 2022

Allen, who became the Saints' head coach following the retirement of Sean Payton earlier this year, didn't mention Gardner-Johnson's contract negotiations as a reason for the deal. However, Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com reported that the team's talks with Gardner-Johnson regarding a new deal were another reason the Saints opted to send the safety to Philadelphia.

Am told the Saints & CJGJ were about $4M a year apart in contract talks on a long-term extension. With major deals looming for McCoy & Davenport, the cash-strapped Saints decided to deal from a position of strength & move on rather than lose CJGJ for nothing next spring.
— Jeff Duncan (@JeffDuncan_) August 30, 2022

Earlier in the offseason, the Saints added three-time Pro Bowl safety Tyrann Mathieu and former New York Jets starting safety Marcus Maye as free agents.

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