What's Next For Chris Jones and the Chiefs?
As the July 15 deadline for a long-term contract extension approaches, Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Chris Jones and the organization have not yet agreed to terms for a new deal. In a recent tweet, Jones has said he could sit out if he doesn't get a long-term contract. The Arrowhead Report Roundtable breaks down the current situation between Jones and the front office and predicts what will happen going forward.
Tucker Franklin: Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and Chris Jones will always give us offseason content. After placing the franchise tag on Jones in February, both sides seemed committed to getting a deal done. Now, nearly five months later, the two sides have never been further.
I won't be the first person to say this, but Jones deserves to be paid. No "fan" should be upset at him for knowing his worth and wanting to get what he's due. The Chiefs should pay Jones. Period. If they were going to trade him, it should've been before the draft, but now it makes no sense to do so. But it seems almost certain Jones is going to get his payday somewhere beside Kansas City. The writing has been on the wall for a while. A breakup seems enviable. It's ambitious to think Jones will be playing for the Chiefs past 2021.
While Mahomes' and Kelce's contract situations have appeared to climb the priority list, Jones seems like the middle child and will more than likely end his time with the Chiefs on poor terms.
Jordan Foote: First and foremost, no one should be upset with Chris Jones for knowing his worth. He’s an elite-level player, but the Chiefs have made it pretty obvious how much they value him (the Frank Clark contract comes to mind). Ideally, it’d be nice if the team could lock Jones up long-term. There’s always a route to make it happen, but it seems less and less likely by the day. Perhaps playing out 2020 on the tag, applying it again for the 2021 season, and then trading him a year from now is the route the Chiefs will take. They should, however, be at least trying to work towards a deal.
Conner Christopherson: I have already gone over how the Chiefs can keep Chris Jones in Part 5 of my series on NFL Contracts, and I do think they should pull the trigger. The reality of the NFL is that you can shed contracts if needed, and the Chiefs can do so and keep Chris Jones for years to come. Jones showed his worth in the Super Bowl, where he single handily stopped a 49ers drive. It's much easier to move around money than it is to draft a player of Jones' caliber. Pay the man.
Joe Andrews: In a perfect world, the Chiefs would sign Chris Jones to a long-term contract. It’s hard to see that happening now. Jones has every right to be upset because of it. The reality is, the Chiefs can’t pay everybody.
Taylor Witt: I think if there was a path forward for the Chiefs that included Chris Jones in it, they would have gotten a deal done by now. That leads me to believe that while extending Jones is the direction the team should go, they are making other plans. Whether that's because they can't make the money work or they don't want to, it seems very likely that Jones will not get the long-term deal he is looking for from KC, which is a shame.
Jacob Harris: The Chiefs should re-sign Jones. The way they’ve treated him as a less-important cog in the Super Bowl wheel is really, really stupid. Chiefs fans being mad at Jones for wanting what he is worth is really, really stupid. Frank Clark is great, but the Chiefs would have won the Super Bowl with an extended Jones and the first-round pick they gave up for Clark. Jones’ fate in Kansas City was mostly sealed the moment they traded for Clark. It feels obvious Jones will be playing for a different team by 2021. But I could be wrong, I’m a fan-blogger writing this from my phone while pooping at work.
Mark Van Sickle: I think the Chiefs should keep Chris Jones. Give him one big five-year contract that will take him to his age-30 season and have him through his prime. Teams can always tinker with the salary cap and make things work. Jones is an elite talent and a homegrown cornerstone on this defense. Keep the team together and become a dynasty.
