Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Chiefs 'unwilling' to give Aaron Donald-type money to this player?

By Vinny Somma | Last updated 8/11/23

Despite leading all defensive tackles with 15.5 sacks in 2022 — a campaign that included a First-Team All-Pro selection and a fourth consecutive Pro Bowl nod — the Kansas City Chiefs are refusing to pay Chris Jones like the top player at his position.

According to The Athletic's Nate Taylor, the Chiefs are "unwilling to make Jones the league’s highest-paid defensive tackle."

Los Angeles Rams star Aaron Donald checks in as the highest-paid defensive tackle in football, earning an average annual salary of $31.6M. Quinnen Williams' new $96M extension with the New York Jets outpaces Donald's contract in total value by $1M but pays him $7.6M less than Donald earns per year on average.

Taylor notes that Jones is seeking an extension to pay him an average annual salary of $30 million. As things currently sit, Jones will earn $20M in 2023 — seventh-most among all defensive tackles.

"The Chiefs have made a big offer to Chris Jones but obviously it's not big enough..

I don't know if he's shooting to be above Aaron Donald but I think that's the ballpark we're in"@RapSheet #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/1WoJJPXiUf
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 11, 2023

While Donald may be the bigger household name of the two, Jones is neck and neck with the future Hall of Famer in recent production and, in many cases, outproduces the Rams defensive stalwart altogether.

Over the past two seasons, Jones has collected seven more sacks than Donald (24.5 to 17.5). In 2022, both players earned elite 90-plus overall Pro Football Focus grades. Yet, again, it was Jones coming out on top, 92.0 to 90.5.

"[Chris Jones] is on a Hall of Fame trajectory right now."

@CourtneyRCronin pic.twitter.com/kUAYwmK7xg
— First Take (@FirstTake) August 11, 2023

Chiefs GM Brett Veach has made it public knowledge the organization aspires to deliver Jones a "big contract." However, the sudden surge in the defensive tackle market may be dictating a price point that Kansas City is second-guessing. Williams, Washington's Daron Payne, New York's Dexter Lawrence, Tennessee's Jeffery Simmons and San Francisco's Javon Hargrave all signed deals worth at least $84M this offseason.

Chiefs GM Brett Veach on Chris Jones ️ “He deserves a big contract.”#NFL #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/GWkE9WAbmW
— FirstSportz NFL (@FirstSportz_NFL) August 8, 2023

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