Whether Kansas City’s superstar DT Chris Jones, who currently is in the last year of his $80,000,000 contract, will be able to repeat his theatrics of last season in 2023 or not, is still a question for the Chiefs fans. The veteran defensive tackle is still awaiting a contract extension from the Kansas City Chiefs.
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In fact, this issue made him sit out of offseason workouts as well. With time running out, the extension possibilities are looking grim for the DT. Moreover, the situation with Jones also intensified when certain reports said that the Chiefs remain unsure about the likelihood of his attendance even at the training camp.
Chris Jones’ Contract Extension Saga: Talks Underway, but Uncertainty Lingers
Chris Jones is no stranger to substantial contracts. Back in mid-July 2020, he signed a lucrative 4-year, $80 million contract with the Chiefs. As per Spotrac, this included an impressive $60 million in guaranteed money. The deal set his average annual salary at a staggering $20 million. In 2023, Jones is set to earn a base salary of $19,500,000 and a workout bonus of $500,000. He carries a significant cap hit of $28,291,668 and a dead cap value of $7,041,667.
As part of the agreement, his 2022 salary and workout bonus were fully guaranteed as of March 18, 2022. Additionally, he is eligible for an annual sack incentive of $1.25 million for reaching 10 sacks, which he successfully earned in 2022.
The current focus is on Jones’ contract extension. Several reports suggest that his holdout may extend into training camp if a deal is not reached by Saturday, July 22. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid confirmed that the team is actively communicating with Jones regarding a new deal. When asked about Jones’ availability for the training camp, as per Pro Football Network, Reid said,
“I don’t know that. We’ll have to just see how that goes. I mean, there is communication going on, that’s the important part. Then, we just have to see.”
Despite the ongoing negotiations, Reid highlighted Jones’ importance as a leader for the team, stating that the defensive lineman will be integrated back into the team once the contract situation is resolved.
A Record Payday on the Horizon For Chris Jones?
Jones’ contributions haven’t gone unnoticed in the past. Many consider him a dark horse pick for the Super Bowl MVP last season. Notably, the only defensive tackle who has been under even more pressure than Jones in the last half-decade is the Los Angeles Rams superstar Aaron Donald. Even Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow couldn’t help but praise Jones’ exceptional abilities. “He’s so good, man. He makes it so hard on you,” stated Burrow once said as per Associated Press.
Numbers don’t do justice to Chris Jones’ impact on the Chiefs in the 2022 season. You just had to watch Jones making himself big in front of the attackers. He sure made his presence felt. All things considered, Jones deserves a well-earned contract extension. As per StatHead, his stats speak for themselves. Chris Jones ranked third in the NFL with an impressive 46 pressures in the 2022 season, in addition to amassing 15.5 sacks, tying him for fourth-most in the league.
With such outstanding performances, it’s no wonder Chris Jones is in line for a record-breaking payday. Although he remains humble about the potential contract, Jones hinted that he wouldn’t say no to a well-deserved salary increase.
