Getty Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones ahead of the 2023 Super Bowl.
After the way contract discussions fell through between the Kansas City Chiefs front office and Tyreek Hill in 2022, fans will be keeping a close eye on the ongoing extension talks with Chris Jones.
Although it’s been pretty quiet on the Jones front in recent weeks, Sports Illustrated NFL insider Albert Breer did provide an update on April 12 after a fan asked if the deal was “no longer happening.”
“I certainly wouldn’t say it’s no longer happening,” Breer replied. “I think this negotiation, like a lot of them, is probably back-burnered until after the draft. I could still see the Chiefs adding a veteran receiver over the next couple of weeks, and there could be an extra need or two to be addressed coming out of the draft, and all of that can affect how you’d structure a big deal like Jones’s promises to be.”
Breer added that “Jones is in a really good spot” though, explaining: “The post–Frank Clark Chiefs need him. He’s still just 28 years old. He’s better than defensive tackles that have gotten between $20 million and $25 million this offseason. There’s the Aaron Donald deal out there to shoot for, too. So Jones, who was smart to limit his deal in 2020 to four years, will get another bite at the apple.”
NFL Writer Predicts ‘Record-Setting Deal’ for Chris Jones
If you’re wondering what Jones might cost KC, it’ll no doubt be a pretty penny. As Breer illustrated, the game-wrecking D-lineman is in a good spot right now.
The Tennessee Titans just paid fellow interior DL Jeffery Simmons $94 million over four years according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The aforementioned Donald extension was three years, $95 million — per Over the Cap.
Jones’ deal is likely to fall somewhere in the middle — between Simmons’ $23.5 million per year and Donald’s $31.67 million average. Having said that, one NFL writer believes there’s a chance the Chiefs star could reset the market at the position.
“A surge of massive defensive tackle contracts are in the pipeline. While Dexter Lawrence and Quinnen Williams should cash in with huge deals, Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs could take things to new heights when he inks his next contract,” voiced Alex Kay of Bleacher Report on April 11.
Continuing: “The 6’6”, 310-pounder finished the regular season by setting or matching career highs in tackles (44) and sacks (15.5) while also contributing 17 tackles for loss, four pass defenses, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Jones was clearly the best player on a Super Bowl-winning defense, adding a pair of sacks and eight tackles during Kansas City’s three-game run to a title.”
Kay concluded that another big year in 2023 “should earn [Jones] a record-setting deal for a defensive tackle.” Adding: “Spotrac estimates Jones to be worth a cool $30 million annually, a price that could be difficult for Kansas City to meet. While the Mississippi State product has said he plans to be a Chief for life and won’t play for another organization, he may change his tune if offered a historic deal on the open market.”
The Bleacher Report analyst’s final contract projection was three years, $96 million, which would be one million more than Donald’s 2022 stunner of an extension.
Chris Jones Sends MVP Message on Twitter
In case you missed it, Jones made a statement on social media earlier this April when he predicted that he would win the MVP award in 2023.
“I’m going to Win MVP,” Jones voiced in a tweet on April 9.
I’m going to Win MVP
To no surprise, the message ended up going viral with over 10K likes. Needless to say, if Jones makes good on that promise, Donald money is a very real possibility for him in free agency next offseason.
The Chiefs would be wise to lock him up in 2023, before he gets the chance to raise his price tag once again.