OP, This could also be becasuse there is a bonus attached to this card.
EO was a no go. I either wait a year to PC the Sapphire to a Freedom or app for a Freedom and close the Sapphire 
I heard back from a senior account specialist and was told I have to wait 12 months for any PC. He said I could close my Sapphire and then apply for the Sapphire Preferred. He said, and I quote, “if you have an open Sapphire account, you will be unable to apply for a Sapphire Preferred account. Our policy no longer allows for customers to have more than one credit card in the same product.”
I guess, I'll keep the Sapphire while I'm in the garden. I can try for CSP next year.
Chase called back and said they will not do a PC of any kind under any circumstance until an account is 13 months old. I paid the card off today, and Monday will call back in and apply for a Chase Freedom. Hopefully after applying, I can call the recon number and have them move my CS $5000 CL over to the Freedom and close the CS.
All of this could have been avoided had I just applied for the CSP in the first place 