Report unveils if Chiefs and DT Chris Jones are close to striking new deal

Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones probably won't suit up in the regular-season opener against the Lions on Thursday, and the Pro Bowler could miss multiple games as his holdout continues.

"The Chiefs have to be braced without Chris Jones for the early portion of the season," wrote ESPN reporter Jeremy Fowler. "They are hoping it doesn't come to that, but the sides are far apart in negotiations. Teams I've talked to believe the Chiefs do not want to trade Jones, no matter how ugly this gets."
 
Jones is entering the final year of a four-year, $80M contract. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported Kansas City recently offered him a three-year, $70M deal, but he rejected it. The 29-year-old reportedly wants something closer to $84.5M.

"If a deal gets done, I'd be out there tomorrow," Jones said Wednesday, per Nate Taylor of The Athletic. "It's always been my goal to be a Kansas City Chief for life. I've said that multiple times. They know where my position is at. Hopefully, we can get something worked out for the long term."

While the Chiefs could win games without Jones, he's essential for a Super Bowl run. Last season, he finished third in Defensive Player of The Year Voting, accounting for nearly 25 percent of the team's pressures (46 in 17 games), via Pro Football Reference.
 
Jones's absence will exacerbate Kansas City's defensive weaknesses. Outside of Jones, no other Chief recorded six or more sacks in 2022, and the unit finished 19th in passing yards allowed. This could present a problem. The club faces elite QBs, such as Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence (Week 2) and New York's Aaron Rodgers (Week 4), early in the season.

Per Over The Cap, the Chiefs only hold $11.4M in cap room. But they should disregard the lack of space and pay Jones because he can help them become the first team to repeat as Super Bowl champions in nearly 20 years.