With Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro defensive lineman Chris Jones staying away from the team amid a contract dispute, there remains a chance that a team could swoop in with a deal that blows the Chiefs from office away, sending the four-time Pro Bowler to a new team. The last factor would likely not be at the forefront of the Chiefs’ thinking in any potential negotiations.
It does, however, create some prime landing spots.
4 NFC Teams That Should Trade for Chiefs All-Pro DL Chris Jones
Detroit Lions
The Lions had the No. 6 offense last season. But their defense ranked 32nd with their rushing defense ranking 29th and their pass rush recording 39 sacks, tied with several other clubs in the middle of the pack. Jones would boost Dan Campbell’s kneecap-biting squad, and he would form a potent 1-2 combo with third-year EDGE rusher Aidan Hutchinson.
Detroit ranks sixth in cap space and could be the best team in the NFC North this season. Aaron Rodgers is out in Green Bay, and the Minnesota Vikings are in a transitional phase.
They are also in the NFC, which never hurts in trade speculation.
The Lions would have to shed some salary to remain under the salary cap and complete this deal. But, if they do, it could push their trajectory even further upward in their pursuit of the postseason.
Dallas Cowboys
Dallas, who ranked third in sacks and eighth in passing defense last season, drafted defensive tackle Mazi Smith with the No. 26 overall pick this year. Smith is a big man capable of plugging up the middle. Jones is a different type of player, and a Cowboys team still seeking to recapture its glory is always a threat to make a splash move.
In recent years, that has been with big-name players leaving the organization more often than joining it. But the Cowboys are one of the few remaining proven playoff teams with cap space left.
They are one of few teams that would not need to send another player out to remain under the salary cap if they acquired Jones.
Chicago Bears
This one would not be based on need – the Bears added three rookies in the 2023 draft to a pair of veterans on the interior of their defensive line this offseason. But none of their players are on the same level as Jones, and the Bears had the worst defense in the league last season.
They ranked 31st against the run and recorded the fewest sacks with just 20, or 4.5 more than Jones had on his own.
Much of their lack of pressure came from an absence of a legitimate pass-rushing threat which they added in Yannick Ngakoue. Still, the Bears have the ninth-most cap space even after a spending spree this offseason, and their general manager, Ryan Poles, came up in the Chiefs organization.
Green Bay Packers
This is a similar situation to the Bears. But Packer general manager Brian Gutekunst has preferred to move on from talent rather than expend draft capital to acquire some during his tenure. The Packers traded Davante Adams in March of 2022 and have been preparing to be without Rodgers since the 2020 offseason when they drafted Jordan Love in the first round.
The Packers had the fifth-fewest sacks and fielded the seventh-worth run defense.
Adding Jones alongside Kenny Clark may seem like overkill. But it would make things a lot easier for Love and the offense to have a defense that will wreak havoc on opposing offensive lines.
Green Bay has the 12th-most cap space remaining and would have to send a player or several out the door to remain under the cap but the payoff could be huge.
Chris Jones Sets Record Straight on Contract Holdout
The Chiefs can expect to have Jones back in the building no later than Week 8. That is according to the player himself. But, for anyone pocket-watching the seven-year veteran, he has a simple but effective message. One that he shared in response to the Arrowhead Live Twitter account.
“I can afford it,” Jones tweeted back to the Chiefs-centric media outlet, which had pointed out that Jones’ fines will have piled up by then.
I can afford it
— Chris Jones (@StoneColdJones) August 22, 2023
Jones is heading into the final year of a four-year, $80 million contract, and his $19.5 million base salary in 2023 leads all defensive tackles, per Spotrac. But Jones is said to be seeking a new deal worth $30 million annually, per Mike Florio of NBC Sports on August 14, as the total value of his contract is just eighth at his position after New York Jets defender Quinnen Williams set a new benchmark with his four-year, $96 million extension this summer.
Jones will have forfeited more than $4 million if he misses the rest of the preseason and more than $8 million if he follows through with his stated plan to stay away until Week 8.
The 6-foot-6 Jones recorded 15.5 sacks last season, tying his career-high set in 2018. His sack totals also tied for the third-most in the league and were 3.5 more than Williams recorded last season. In between, Jones has logged seasons with 9.0, 7.5, and 9.0 sacks while missing just seven total contests in that span.
Only five players have more sacks since he entered the league in 2016, per Stathead.
Main Photo: Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
