Getty Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones at training camp in 2021.
The Kansas City Chiefs have built the past half-decade of success around a sturdy foundational core. This group started with head coach Andy Reid and tight end Travis Kelce but has added pieces like defensive lineman Chris Jones and quarterback Patrick Mahomes II along the way.
They’ve also moved on from former pillars like wide receiver Tyreek Hill and safety Tyrann Mathieu, in order to reconstruct around the financial burden of a superstar QB. For Jones, a similar decision could be on the horizon as he approaches the final year of his $80 million contract in 2023.
Depending on how he performs this season, the Chiefs could theoretically part with the integral pass rusher next spring via trade or cut. The move would save over $22 million in cap space but there are other potential solutions. It all depends on what value Jones believes he provides heading into his age-29 campaign, compared to the value Reid and general manager Brett Veach determine.
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Is Chiefs Defense ‘Overdependent’ on Jones?
In a CBS article from long-time NFL writer Jeff Kerr, the analyst determined one player on each team that is being “overvalued.” Now, for some selections, this was more of an insult but for others, Kerr blamed the franchise for placing too much importance on the athlete and that was the case with Jones.
“The Chiefs certainly overplayed how they utilized Chris Jones last year,” he explained, “moving him to the edge because they didn’t have a suitable pass rusher to line up there outside of Frank Clark. That changed once they traded for Melvin Ingram, allowing Jones to move back inside — where he’s most effective.”
Kerr continued: “Earning second-team All-Pro honors for the third time in four years, Jones had nine sacks and 17 quarterback hits despite having only 27 tackles last year. He also had 58 pressures and five passes defended in 14 games. Injuries have been an issue for Jones over the years, yet he’s still third among all defensive tackles in sacks (32) and second in quarterback hits (94). His 49.5 sacks since 2016 trail only [Aaron] Donald amongst defensive tackles.”
His main point appeared to be that the Chiefs have not surrounded Jones with enough talent, relying on his game-wrecking ability more often than not. Kerr spoke to this in his final paragraph:
The Chiefs would be wise to keep Jones lined up on the inside, which they should be able to do with George Karlaftis and Clark on the edge. The depth at defensive tackle isn’t great behind Jones, and the Chiefs are relying on his incredible production to get the ball back to the offense. If Jones stays healthy for all 17 games, the Chiefs have more than enough reasons to be overdependent on him.
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Jones Labeled Top-3 NFL Defensive Tackle
Based on a survey of league executives, coaches, scouts and players, ESPN compiled a list of the top 10 defensive tackles in the NFL — put together by insider Jeremy Fowler. Jones ranked third, which was actually a slight drop from his No. 2 status in 2021.
“Jones’ pass-rush prowess is among the game’s best,” wrote Fowler. “Despite facing double-teams on nearly 50% of his pass rushes, he wins on 20% of his overall rushes, second on this list behind Donald.”
That staggering statistic speaks to Kerr’s point. If Jones is facing double-teams that often, that means the supporting cast on the defensive line is too weak.
Fowler added that “most agree Jones is a dominant force when he wants to be. But he struggled early in his career with erratic play.”
The decision on whether to extend Jones, attempt to rework his contract, or let him go should be the most interesting talking point for the Chiefs next offseason. Some might say 2021 was a down season for Jones by the naked eye, but the production was still there and he played either injured or out of position for a good deal of the campaign.
At the same time, there’s an argument to be made that Kansas City is overdependent on him as a pass rusher and with Clark potentially on his way out next spring, that reliance could increase. Hopefully, 2022 and the arrival of Karlaftis will be a better determiner of what the front office should do about Jones.