SEPTEMBER 11: With the Chiefs’ Week 1 loss in the books, they are no closer to working out an agreement with Jones, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports notes (video link). The All-Pro is in line to continue missing $1.1MM in game checks for every week which he remains absent, which will progressively lessen his financial gain if/when an extension is signed. However, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones adds that the two-time Super Bowl winner is aiming for a figure close to Donald in its own right, not to simply sit second in the DT pecking order. With no progress being made, the parties appear likely to remain at an impasse.
SEPTEMBER 7: Hours from the Chiefs’ opener, they face the prospect of their second- and third-best players not being on the field. Travis Kelce is dealing with a knee hyperextension and bone bruise, and Chris Jones‘ holdout is well into its second month.
Jones may be at Arrowhead Stadium tonight, but NFL.com’s James Palmer notes the All-Pro defensive tackle would be stationed in a suite — to watch the Chiefs raise a third Super Bowl banner — as his teammates suit up to face the Lions. While an interesting development given Jones’ current circumstances, the Chiefs are believed to be OK with the D-tackle holdout being present for the pregame ceremony.
The seven-year veteran said Wednesday (via The Athletic’s Nate Taylor) he could suit up tonight were a deal agreed to, but both NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo indicate nothing is close (video links). This refrain has persisted for weeks, leading to this undesired outcome. Jones will miss Kansas City’s first game, and while a 10-day gap resides between now and the team’s Week 2 trip to Jacksonville, Nick Bosa‘s five-year, $170MM extension introduced a new complication into these proceedings.
The Chiefs had attempted to treat Aaron Donald‘s $31.7MM-per-year Rams pact as an outlier, aiming to have Jones’ third contract come in closer to the recently formed second tier Quinnen Williams currently tops (at $24MM AAV). Jones was connected to a $30MM-per-year ask earlier this summer but was recently tied to a $28MM-AAV aspiration. The Chiefs, in turn, are believed to have offered a $24.7MM extension. With Bosa now at $34MM per year, that could lead to another snag here.
Donald has held the top D-tackle salary since he signed a six-year Rams extension just before the 2018 season; the Rams authorized a landmark raise (with no new years added) after a retirement threat. While Donald’s 2022 update still leads the pack at D-tackle by a wide margin, Bosa’s new AAV affects the pass rusher market on the whole. With Jones being the only pure defensive tackle in the sack era (1982-present) with two 15-sack seasons, the Chiefs cornerstone may adjust his argument after seeing Bosa’s holdout alter the pass-rushing salary landscape.
Indicating he did not want to be a distraction to his teammates as a hold-in, Jones confirmed (via Taylor) he is seeking a raise ahead of the final season of a four-year, $80MM contract. Jones wants more money upfront in his next deal, Garafolo adds. Williams’ $47.8MM guarantee at signing tops all defensive tackles. T.J. Watt‘s $80MM had led the way for all defenders, but Bosa’s not-yet-known full guarantee number almost definitely surpasses it. Jones, 29, is likely seeking a guarantee well north of Williams’ number.
This holdout happening entirely to avoid distracting his teammates would be quite the expensive gesture on Jones’ part. The former second-round pick has racked up $2MM-plus in nonwaivable fines. The 49ers were able to waive Bosa’s due to his holdout occurring on a rookie contract. Floating out the possibility his return may not happen until the Week 8 deadline for a player to report and earn an accrued season toward free agency, Jones is the last holdout standing. Rumors this impasse would be resolved before training camp once circulated. He will soon follow in Donald’s footsteps by missing Week 1 on a holdout. Would Jones really be prepared to sacrifice more than $10MM in total by showing up around the midseason point?
The Chiefs will go into Week 1 with recently re-signed DTs Derrick Nnadi and Tershawn Wharton in place. The team also made a rare trade with the Raiders, obtaining 2022 sixth-rounder Neil Farrell to go with rookie sixth-rounder Keondre Coburn. For a Chiefs team that moved on from Frank Clark and Carlos Dunlap and has UFA pickup Charles Omenihu starting a six-game suspension, losing Jones will severely restrict its pass rush. Kansas City has first-round defensive ends George Karlaftis and Felix Anudike-Uzomah as its top edge investments.
Play. Your. Deal.
Screw him. He has a contract that he was happy with with he signed it. Other newer contracts are irrelevant. He needs to show up and play and finish his contract he signed.
Dude’s gonna lose lots and lots of money. He’s been badly advised like Taylor and as a fan of another AFC contender, I love it!
Terrier1980 Taylor is a RB, it’s a totally different situation . Jones is an important core piece on a defense, Taylor plays a role that is no longer valued that much, where nearly all who play it are seen as replaceable.
Jones might not get exactly what he wants, but he absolutely will be one of the highest paid DT’s by the end of this.
YO Chris, ignore what Kelce is saying to you. Make em pay you’ve earned it.
And he’s been paid for it. Under his existing contract.
Normally I would agree but considering how the NFL structures their contracts with guaranteed/non-guaranteed … I’d say, get it while he can!
He signed a deal agreeing to pay him X amount for X years. These are facts. The team is under no obligation to pay him more than X. The team has held their end. Time for him to hold up his.
Jason Katz spotted with Ryan Poles at O’Hare Hilton!
Uh-Oh!
Jones is no longer wanted by many kc fans for being so greedy. He isn’t on a rookie contract and is paid more $ in 1 game than most people make in a lifetime almost. Get the draft picks, he is already holding out so at least some draft picks can help the chiefs in the future.
KC fans want him back. As soon as this gets resolved it will take about 5 minutes for KC fans to exhale and start celebrating the fact that they have their tackle back.
Rumor has it Bears have offered 2024 2nd and 4th round picks and DT De Marcus Walker for Chris Jones.
Yowza
People on here acting like he shouldn’t try and get every last dollar. Because he makes millions of dollars he should be happy with that? Absolutely not. If you were the best at something, let me rephrase, if you were a competitive person and you’re literally the best in the WORLD, you ask to be the highest paid. As a reflection of being the best player in the world, he’d like to be paid like one. The NFL has set the system up like this. If they don’t like it, they could always give out guaranteed contracts to everyone. Renegotiating your contract is standard practice. Anyone acting like he should just be grateful really doesn’t have a clue. Meaning, maybe you should reevaluate how much you’re worth.
Thank you. Receiving a lecture from such an esteemed member like “snowjev” is truly enlightening. Thank you for educating us.
No, thank you. Posting a bunch of words without saying anything takes moxy. It’s refreshing seeing such a brilliant upbeat analysis of my opinion. Your thoughts are truly enlightening.
Fact. He signed a deal which oays him a salary to play this year.
Most people who renegotiate their contract/salary in the real world don’t sit out and not work like a big ole baby because that isn’t how the world is set up. He is a rich man and enjoys that luxury where he can sit out and still live a life that 99.99% of people will never live.
This is hubris because everyone wants to reset the market and earn $1 more than the previous record deal.
Play. Your. Deal.
What seems more likely to happen:
1. The Chiefs continue to wait him out. (Losing further games they should’ve won) Jones continues to lose $ and service time accrued. But, the Chiefs organization will look cheap and inept. Shouldn’t the best defensive player in football be on the field on week 1?
2. The Chiefs pay him a record setting contract topping Nick Bosa’s new deal. Jones reports to work happy and takes his frustrations out on the competition. The Chiefs organization looks like they just waited for Bosa’s deal to be sealed. Looking smart and prudent for waiting.
The 2 options are obviously loaded with my commentary. But it doesn’t change the fact this ends with Jones getting rightfully paid. This is how the NFL works. Sometimes you have to make a few fans mad. In which this is probably the case. This is a Chiefs thread after all. So take your fandoms out of this. This is a business. Chris Jones is the best in the world in his profession. And while some of you would leave millions of dollars on the table, his agent is paid so those millions and more like them go his clients way.
He currently is rightfully paid, under a deal he fully agreed to. If he was injured this year and missed the entire year he’d be rightfully paid.
Rightfully paid means you are paid to what you have agreed on, this is not a subjective term.
They still would’ve lost. With Jones sitting on his a$$ and doing nothing all offseason he wouldnt have made a last minute difference. Wrs who can’t catch and tip balls to defenders for a pick 6 are how Detroit won the game.