Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs agree to one-year contract
Kansas City Chiefs star defensive lineman Chris Jones has officially ended his holdout.
Jones and the Chiefs agreed to terms on a new one-year deal Monday, per Ian Rapaport of NFL Network. The Chiefs didn’t add any additional years to Jones’ contract, meaning he remains scheduled to become a free agent after the 2023 season. Jones was set to make $19.5 million in base salary this season. He received incentives in his reworked contract to allow him to make more than the $19.5 million from his old contract.
“Chris is an elite player in this league,” general manager Brett Veach said in a statement. “… Over the last seven years, he’s really developed into a leader on our team. He’s been instrumental to our success and Super Bowl championship runs and it was a priority for us to keep him in a Chiefs uniform. I’d like to thank Chris and his representation, Michael and Jason Katz, for their desire and patience to get this done. Through this process two things were obvious, Chris wanted to be a Chief, and the Katz brothers worked diligently on his behalf.”
The Chiefs selected Jones in the second-round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Mississippi State. Since entering the NFL, Jones has made four Pro Bowls and earned his first All-Pro selection last season. In 2022, he totaled 44 tackles (30 solo) and tied his career-high with 15.5 sacks.
He was a finalist for the AP Defensive Player of the Year Award, finishing third in voting behind the Dallas Cowboys’ Micah Parsons and eventual winner Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers. He capped off the season with the Lombardi Trophy after recording three tackles in the Super Bowl LVII win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Chris Jones returns to Chiefs ahead of schedule
Jones, 29, chose to hold out as he worked on securing a long-term deal from the Chiefs. Unfortunately for Jones, a long-term deal didn’t come to pass. Jones received about $3.6 million in fines, $1.1 million coming from missing Week 1 against the Detroit Lions. He previously hinted at sitting out through Week 8, but will instead return presumably in Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday.
“I could play right now,” Jones said at a charity event in Kansas City last week. “I work out every day… but in Miami with my team that I’d normally be with in my offseason. I’m staying at it.”
Without Jones, the Chiefs began the season with a 21-20 defeat to the Lions. With star tight end Travis Kelce sidelined with a leg injury, just one player, running back Isiah Pacheco, managed to surpass three receptions on the night.
Kadarius Toney, thought to have a large role in the offense, hauled in a single target for one yard. The 2021 first-round pick notably had three costly drops on the night.