Reigning First-Team All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones is currently looking for a new contract, and recent Tweets from the man himself make it sound like his holdout isn’t going to end any time soon. For those that have been living under a rock, the Chris Jones holdout originally stemmed from a contract dispute between player and team. Jones is currently entering the final year of his contract and is due a base salary of $19.5 million dollars. Following his 15.5-sack season in 2022, Jones believes he deserves a new deal that more accurately reimburses him for his on-field impact.
The Chiefs, meanwhile, have every reason to want to restructure Jones’ contract. As of this posting, Jones carries a $28.29 million cap hit, which is a massive number for any non-quarterback. Kansas City has less than $1 million in available cap space but could free upwards of $16 million by extending Jones. However, despite the seemingly mutual interest, the player and team have yet to come to terms on a new contract.
Week 8
— Chris Jones (@StoneColdJones) August 22, 2023
Chris Jones To Continue Holdout Into Week 8
The Tweets
This leads us to yesterday’s tweets (xeets???) Chris Jones originally said he’d continue his holdout into Week 8, and doubled down on it in a later reply. Based on this, it’s safe to assume that the reigning All-Pro isn’t just trying to get out of offseason workouts – he wants a new deal, and he’s willing to miss meaningful games to make that happen.
I can afford it
— Chris Jones (@StoneColdJones) August 22, 2023
Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are easily the two most important members of the Kansas City Chiefs, but there is a case to be made that Jones is third on that list. You don’t need an elite defense when you have the best offense in football, but you do need a unit that can occasionally make a stop. Last year, the Chiefs defense ranked 15th in EPA/play allowed. Since then, they’ve lost starting edge rusher Frank Clark and apparently won’t have Jones for the first half of the season. Felix Anudike-Uzomah is a nice player, but you can’t expect the first-round pick to make that type of an impact in Year 1.
Of course, Chris Jones will end his holdout if he gets the contract he desires. However, assuming this glorified staring contest continues into the regular season, Kansas City could be in trouble.
Can the Chiefs Survive The Chris Jones Holdout?
As the reigning AFC West champions, the Kansas City Chiefs have to face off against a first-place schedule, which means that “easy” games are few and far between. Assuming Jones is true to his word, then he will miss the contests against the Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears, New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, and Los Angeles Chargers.
By and large, each and every last one of the aforementioned teams should be pretty competitive in 2023. The Chiefs should be able to take down the Chicago Bears with ease, but every other game will be a fight. Detroit and Jacksonville have two of the best young cores in football and should take a leap this year, New York added Aaron Rodgers as the missing piece to their roster, the Vikings have one of the better passing attacks in football, the Broncos added Sean Payton and one of the best defenses in the game, and the Los Angeles Chargers always play their best against the Chiefs.
Even with the Chris Jones holdout, the Chiefs are still one of the more talented teams in the league, so they should win four of five of these matchups. However, his absence could be the difference in a few of these contests, and that could have a massive impact on the postseason. With only one bye week, every single game matters. 12-5 might not be enough to earn the AFC’s top seed, which means the Chiefs wouldn’t get a much-needed week of rest heading into the postseason.
