Getty KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JANUARY 13: Chris Jones #95 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates a sack during the first half against the Miami Dolphins in the AFC Wild Card Playoffs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 13, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
One of the biggest questions looming for the Kansas City Chiefs is whether All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones will re-up with the team in 2024 or will take to free agency for the first time in his eight-year NFL career.
Jones seemingly hinted at his departure from Kansas City on January 14 when he posted on X, formerly Twitter, to show support for the Chiefs giving cornerback L’Jarius Sneed a payday.
A user on X wrote the caption “Pay him over Chris Jones” in response to another user writing that the defending Super Bowl champions need to pay Sneed. Jones’s three-word message to that user was: “Pay the man.”
@I_Am_Pi3rce Pay the man
Jones’s post shouldn’t be viewed as him signaling that he doesn’t want to play for the Chiefs anymore. Instead, it should be viewed more as him showing support for a very talented teammate while also having the awareness that both of them will not get paid handsomely by Kansas City beyond 2023.
Jones held out during the offseason and into the regular season in hopes of getting a new contract with Kansas City. What he received from the team was a one-year deal with a base salary of $19.5 million and incentives that could earn him up to $25 million.
The fact that the Chiefs only gave Jones a one-year deal after several months of holding out shows that Kansas City isn’t willing to give Jones what he wants, which includes a multi-year deal in the $30 million/year range. Because of that, the Chiefs made Jones happy via the one-year deal in 2023 and will reconvene during the offseason with hopes of reaching some middle ground with Jones. But all signs are pointing toward Jones’s departure after the season.
L’Jarius Sneed Having All-Pro Caliber Season
Despite not being named an All-Pro, Sneed is having a season that has put him in the conversation as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL.
In 16 games played during the regular season, Sneed was targeted 81 times and allowed a 51.9% catch percentage, 9.7 yards per reception, and a 55.9 passer rating, according to PFF.
In his most recent outing, which was Kansas City’s 26-7 victory over the Miami Dolphins in the Wild-Card Round of the playoffs, Sneed allowed 3 catches for 29 yards on 46 coverage stats. Against his former teammate Tyreek Hill, who led the NFL in receiving yards this season, Sneed allowed just 1 reception for 9 yards.
Sneed’s All-Pro caliber season is occurring during the final year of his rookie deal with the Chiefs. That means he’s set to earn a massive payday in 2024, whether it’s from Kansas City or another team.
Only time will tell if the Chiefs will pay Sneed. But if there’s one thing we do know, it’s that Sneed was one of the main reasons Kansas City’s defense has been so dominant this season.
Who Will Chiefs Face in Divisional Round?
The Chiefs’ opponent for the AFC Divisional Round will be determined by the result of the Buffalo Bills’ Wild-Card matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday evening.
If the Bills beat the Steelers, then the Chiefs will play Buffalo on the road in the Divisional Round. If the Steelers beat the Bills, then Kansas City will play host to the Houston Texans in the next round of the playoffs.
The day and time for Kansas City’s Divisional Round game will be announced after the Bills-Steelers Wild-Card matchup.
The Bills-Steelers game, which was supposed to be on Sunday but was postponed due to inclement weather in Buffalo, kicks off at 3:30 p.m. Central time on Monday.