The Kansas City Chiefs are at a pivot point with Patrick Mahomes returning off the worst injury of his NFL career while the team tries to bounce back from its worst season in more than a decade. And if the Kansas City can’t recapture the nostalgia of the early 2020s, some serious changes could be in store as early as next offseason.
Chief among them is the future of superstar defensive tackle Chris Jones. The six-time All-Pro has an out built into his $159 million contract, which runs through the 2028 campaign, which he will play at 34 years old.
If Kansas City cuts Jones next offseason with a pre-June 1 designation, the team can save $18.6 million against the salary cap in 2027 and another $35.1 million the following year.
Danny Heifetz of “The Ringer Fantasy Football Show” predicted on Wednesday, September 9 that the Chiefs will cut Jones next spring barring an outstanding showing from the DT this season.
“We’re in this weird gap year, where the first half of Patrick Mahomes‘ career is over and the second one hasn’t quite started yet,” Heifetz said. “We still have all the old characters transitioning us to the sequel. Travis Kelce is still here, but they set themselves up to move on from Chris Jones after this year.
“Unless Chris Jones plays great, I think they’re gonna cut Chris Jones,” Heifetz continued. “Kelce might retire, and [head coach] Andy Reid is 68 years old. This is probably the last year we have all four of those people [together].”
Chiefs Have Invested Heavily in Defensive Line Over Past Year
Jones has been a stalwart of the Kansas City defense across his 10-year career, helping the franchise to five Super Bowl appearances and three championship rings.
However, the Chiefs focused intently on the defensive line this offseason and may be in position to move on from Jones in the interest of both saving money and getting younger across the front.
Kansas City drafted defensive tackle Peter Woods No. 29 overall in Round 1 after signing interior run-stopper Khyiris Tonga to a three-year deal. The Chiefs also selected speed rusher R Mason Thomas early in Round 2 after extending defensive end George Karlaftis in July 2025 via a four-year contract worth $88 million.
Chris Jones May Have 2 More Years in Kansas City, Hard to Envision Future With Chiefs Beyond 2027
Yes, the team is building around Jones as a centerpiece this year. And another big season in 2026 might lead Kansas City to believe that the $18.6 million in savings and $19.5 million dead money hit that releasing Jones will create isn’t worth the trade-off of losing the defensive lineman.
But even if that is the case, it is hard to imagine he could be excellent enough over the next two seasons to justify the Chiefs passing up a chance to clear more than $35 million in 2028 cap space two years from now.
As such, it is fair to assume that Jones’ tenure in Kansas City is more than likely to last one or two more years, at most, before the team moves on.
Chiefs Predicted to Part Ways With $159 Million All-Pro After Season