The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off their second Super Bowl victory in four years and look poised to continue contending for years to come. For as long as Patrick Mahomes is leading the offense, this will be a tough team to beat. But, Mahomes is far from the only star player that the Chiefs have, and Mahomes knows that.
One of the other stars on the team is defensive tackle, Chris Jones. Mahomes recently spoke about how important Jones is to the team’s success, lauding his leadership abilities in addition to his production on the field.
“He’s one of the main reasons that we’ve had the success that we’ve had,” quarterback Patrick Mahomes said, per PJ Green of Fox 4 Kansas City. “He’s been that leader on the defense.”
Jones has been dominant throughout his career since joining the Chiefs as a second-round pick in 2016 out of Mississippi State. His rookie season is the only one in which he has failed to record at least 6.5 sacks, turning into one of the premier defensive tackles in the NFL.
He has made either the Pro Bowl team or an All-Pro roster in five straight seasons, which was capped off by his first All-Pro first-time nomination in 2022. He also finished third in the Defensive Player of the Year voting as he entered the prime years of his career.
Now, Jones is looking to cash in. The defensive tackle market has boomed this offseason, which is partly why Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report believes that the Chiefs should prioritize an extension with Jones before the season gets underway.
While Jones is due $28.3 million this year, he watched his annual average get surpassed by multiple players this offseason. Dexter Lawrence, Javon Hargrave, Jeffery Simmons and Daron Payne all signed deals worth more than $20 million annually. DeForest Buckner and Aaron Donald also possess contracts that surpass that plateau.
While his earnings will assuredly increase on a new contract, there are benefits to the Chiefs hammering out a deal now. Up against the salary cap, with less than $1 million in space, working out an extension with Jones could open up some money for the team.
“Converting a large chunk of Jones’ salary into a bonus that is spread over several years could give the Chiefs a little financial breathing room heading into the summer,” suggested Knox.
That would be a prudent thing to do as Jones has shown no signs of slowing down. Locking him into a long-term deal, ensuring he is with the franchise for years to come, and opening up some much-needed wiggle room, is a win-win for everyone.
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