Report: Chris Jones and the Chiefs Have Resumed Contract Talks
After weeks of contract extension talks have stalled, the Kansas City Chiefs and defensive tackle Chris Jones have reportedly resumed contract talks ahead of Wednesday’s franchise-tag deadline.
After the Chiefs signed quarterback Patrick Mahomes to a 10-year, $503 million deal, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has reported that the team and Jones have picked up extension talks after the team placed the franchise tag on him in February.
Jones tweeted (and liked) a couple of cryptic messages after the report that got Chiefs fans excited.
In late June, Jones also disheartened Chiefs fans via Twitter. He hinted in a tweet he might not play if a long-term deal wasn’t reached. Arrowhead Report’s Joshua Brisco explained the situation:
Jones' tweet, "Or I won't play. @LeVeonBell told me about this," references' Bell's holdout during the 2018 season as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jones was responding to a video of NFL Network's Mike Garafolo saying that there's "a lot of work to be done" between Jones and the Chiefs, as Jones views himself as a player worth $20 million-plus per year, and according to Garafolo, the Chiefs don't.
While this is a step in the right direction for the Chiefs to bring back their star pass-rusher, there is still a lot of work to be done.
With the franchise tag, Jones would only be able to play next season for roughly $16 million. If a long-term deal is not completed by July 15, Jones will either have to play under the one-year franchise tag or consider sitting out the season, either way, likely entering another contentious offseason in 2021, when the Chiefs could tag him for a second time. Alternatively, with a deal done in the next few days, Jones could be a member of the Chiefs for many years to come.
