The contractual status of Chris Jones is the top talking point for the Chiefs at the start of training camp. The All-Pro defensive tackle is holding out while attempting to secure a new deal, one which would move him back up the pecking order in terms of annual compensation at the position. 
Jones has one year remaining on his four-year, $80MM deal but an extension has been on Kansas City’s radar for some time now. To little surprise, the expectation remains that the 29-year-old is aiming to be the league’s second-highest paid D-tackle, behind only Aaron Donald. The gap between the two would shrink considerably if Jones were to get his way.
The four-time Pro Bowler is seeking an annual average salary of $30MM, writes Nate Taylor of The Athletic (subscription required). The reworking of Donald’s Rams deal from last year upped his AAV to 31.67MM, so a raise for Jones allowing him to essentially draw even with him would be quite noteworthy. It would also complicate the cap situation for the defending champions, who have premised their financial moves on retaining stars such as Jones, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce without making them the highest-paid at their respective positions.
“We really don’t think about it in the context of, ‘Who is the highest-paid player?” Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt said when asked about the Jones situation. “We think about it in the context of the Chiefs — and what’s best for the organization, not only this year but as we go forward. One of the challenges is the salary cap. It makes it tough to keep a championship team together.”
The DT market has seen a dramatic shift this offseason, with young performers in particular landing lucrative second contracts from their respective teams. Quinnen Williams (Jets), Jeffery Simmons (Titans), Dexter Lawrence (Giants) and Daron Payne (Commanders) have all inked extensions worth between $22.5MM and $24MM per season. Jones – who matched his career high with 15.5 sacks in 2022 and played a central role in the Chiefs’ latest Super Bowl victory – has shown a willingness to miss out on team activities in an attempt to retake the No. 2 spot ahead of that group.
The Mississippi State alum skipped Kansas City’s mandatory minicamp in the spring, subjecting himself to fines in the process. He will also incur a mandatory $50K fine for each training camp day which he misses amidst his contract dispute. A resolution may remain elusive if he intends to hold firm on his asking price, and if the Chiefs (who would likely see a notable increase in 2023 cap space by working out an extension) maintain their stance on Jones’ valuation.
In this day and age with so many people hurting for money and this doofus thinks 20 million a year isn’t enough? You signed the contract now honor it. No ifs ,ands, or buts. It’s called integrity, doing what you said you would do.
There’s so many people without shelter, enough food, or transportation and these pampered babies who play a child’s game for a living are always crying about not making enough. Hey, you went to college and supposedly got a degree if you’re not happy playing a game for a living then get a real job using your skills from college. It boils down to, If Football, Baseball, even the Movies and TV disappeared tomorrow we would miss them, but life would go on and we would find something else to occupy our time. These diversions are nice to have, but aren’t necessarily something we need to survive. Take your 20 million, shut your mouth, and be glad you found someone dumb enough to pay you 20 million dollars to run around and play a game.
Well that’s a idiotic take if I have ever read one. And you can call football “a kids game” but it takes a lot of years off of their life expectancy.
So, who is forcing them to play a GAME for a living? They supposedly went to college for at least 3 years and have at least a partial degree in something. If they are afraid of being hurt they should use the degree they earned to make a living. It’s all about choices. Playing for a living might be fun, but it contributes nothing to society as a whole. If the NFL ceased operations today we would miss it, but it wouldn’t affect our lives except to find other entertainment options. So how is using your brain and staying healthy not a better option? I believe you may be the one with the lack of intelligence.
Seems like an opportunity for the Chiefs to get a top drawer draft pick and some cap space they could use to sign a replacement. Trade Jones to someone expected to stink this year (Arizona?) for a high pick and a starting player at one of the Chiefs current positions of weakness.
Not that easy. Not every team wants a guy about to be 30 and have to pay him 120-140 million (since he’s wanting 30 a year and likely 3-4 years plus the 20 for this season). Most bad teams really don’t want to shell that out since they’re not competing anyway and they really don’t want to give up draft picks if they’re going to be bad. A lot of teams would have trouble fitting his current deal and his new deal in their cap situation. No team is going to trade those kind of assets unless they know he will agree to a new deal.
While he’s one of the best, it’s not that easy to move him.
That’s correct, and that’s often times why you won’t see big time players that are in this exact situation really fetch what they’re worth in a trade.
Not only would a team have to give up draft picks to acquire Jones, but then they’re also having to shell out the money to resign him to a top tier deal.
More often than not, as long as their current team is wanting to contend, it is just easier that the player stays with that team.
Jones could still traded as a rental. Not much point for most, since he’ll want a new deal and the only teams that could fit him in are not really contenders. If it does happen, you’d figure that it’d be on a team with a rookie QB on his first contract with at least two years remaining. Carolina, for example, would have been interesting, had they not mortgaged their future already for Young. What could be possible is a tag and trade next year, if things don’t go well. Thing is, Jones’ price won’t go down if he plays this year and does so at a high level. If Jones holds out or has a down year (and thereby lowers his potential future value), some team could see more ability to work out a trade with a future deal.
Some team might take a chance on him for a single year, but they’d have to be a contender already, and no contender has that space. Kansas City really doesn’t want to let Jones walk, but I don’t know if they want to pony up that Donald money. Jones is a better player at this point in their respective careers, but Donald’s contract is a problem that the Rams have exported to the Chiefs. K.C. may get an extension done with low hits for the first year or two, but there’s no way that they can fit an entire long term deal of that magnitude alongside Mahomes’ deal and still have a competitive offensive line.
Well the Chiefs did ship out Tyreek Hill after he complained about wanting Devante Adams type money, I could see them doing the same thing with Jones.
He’s worth a first round pick, and Chiefs could get it, maybe even a sign and trade deal……one might not think so, but I’m often surprised by what teams are giving up and paying some of these players, and he is elite
Get him out. They won a ring after Hill wanted paid and got draft picks to retool, do the same with Jones. Let him go be the highest paid and then never win another ring.
$35 per the first 2 seasons with 25 and 25 in years 3-4. That meets the $30 per and 4 yrs. They can get creative with how they pay it (signing bonus, yearly roster bonus, etc.)