Chris Jones, a soon-to-be free agent defensive tackle, sat out all of Kansas City Chiefs training camp and the first
game of the season last year while refusing to sign a contract. On September 11, he signed a one-year, $19.5 million
contract and appeared in the final 16 games, totaling 695 snaps. Jones recorded 10.5 sacks and 30 tackles.
This season, without a contract, he is trying a different approach.
If he enters the free agent market, he will most likely be courted by a slew of teams, including the Ravens. But Jones
believes he’ll be back in Kansas City this year, next year, and the year after. That gives the idea that he is working on
a three-year contract with the Chiefs, which may already be close to completion.
However, according to Pro Football Talk, which cites a person familiar with the issue, an agreement between Jones
and the Chiefs is likely “no time soon.”
That’s fantastic news for Baltimore and any other team hoping to pursue Jones.
The Chiefs might chose to slap the franchise tag on Jones, which would cost $32.16 million based on his 2023 cap
figure of $26.808 million. This means that if Kansas City or any other team wants to sign Jones to a long-term
contract, the starting salary is $32.16 million APY.
But what if another team wants to pay more for Jones’ services? This happens regularly. However, there is also the
lure of reuniting with the Chiefs in an attempt to become the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive
Super Bowl championships.
The clock is ticking for Jones and the Chiefs, as the NFL free-agent period begins March 13.
