The Kansas City Chiefs are no closer to a resolution with All-Pro defensive lineman Chris Jones, and teams are starting to check in on his availability. One rumored team, in particular, has strong ties to the franchise.
“According to some, [Chicago Bears General Manager] Ryan Poles has called [Chiefs General Manager] Brett Veach about Chris Jones,” said ESPN 1000’s Carmen DeFalco on “Carmen and Jurko” on August 25. “Poles and Veach are obviously very close. You’ve got that relationship – I don’t know if that makes it harder or easier to get a deal done.”
DeFalco was clear in saying that he was “not reporting anything”. But the Bears were aggressive in upgrading their roster this offseason. They even added pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue earlier this month.
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Poles spent 13 years in the Chiefs organization. He started as a player personnel assistant and finished as the Executive Player Personnel Director before taking over the Bears last offseason.
“This is very rumor mill-ish stuff,” DeFalco said. “This has, in the last day or so, made its way across various websites. Also was discussed on a very prominent gambling podcast. … That would be our good friend, Todd Fuhrman’s podcast, the “Bet The Board” podcast.
“I’ve heard some rumblings that – I mean the rumblings are that they’re not in communication right now. But the other rumblings are like the Chicago Bears have called,” said Fuhrman’s co-host, Payne Insider on the August 24 episode of the podcast. “I’m not insinuating a trade’s coming. But I know the Bears have called about Chris Jones.”
Jones, 29, is heading into the final year of his four-year, $80 million contract. He is rumored to be seeking a contract worth $30 million annually.
Chris Jones. One of the best in the game.@StoneColdJones | @Chiefs pic.twitter.com/EWXnMroq2I
— NFL (@NFL) January 31, 2023
He has been away from the team amid the dispute and has set a Week 8 deadline to report.
That just so happens to be the same week as the NFL’s trade deadline. In sports, as in any other business, deadlines drive results. The deadline could force the Chiefs’ hand as they prepare for the stretch run.
If they are still reluctant to pay Jones what he feels he is worth, they run the risk of having a malcontent in the locker room, though that remains to be seen. He is a one-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler coming off a 15.5-sack season and has been one of the NFL’s best pass rushers since entering the league despite playing mostly on the interior.
“Chris Jones was the most valuable interior defender in the NFL last season led the league and estimated points prevented over replacement,” Payne said. “He prevented an estimated 30% fewer points than the No. 2 interior defensive lineman in Cam Hayward.”
It could be even worse for the Chiefs in terms of leverage.
Chris Jones Has Chiefs ‘By The B****’
“Chris Jones kind of has the Chiefs by the b****,” Payne said. “He has the money to sit out, he knows the interior of the Chiefs’ line is weak, he knows the team has the Super Bowl-or-bust mindset.”
The only way for the Chiefs to avoid any further hindrances to their pursuit of another Super Bowl run is to pay Jones or try to extract as much value as possible in a trade.
Either with the Bears – who own two first-round picks in next year’s draft – or another team.
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There is still plenty of time before the Chiefs have to make a decision either way.
“Without Chris Jones, right, it’s Derek Nnadi inside,” Payne said. “His best trait is as a run-stopper, and he’s below average at that. [Travelle] Wharton is returning from an ACL injury. [Keondre] Coburn has promise. But he’s a sixth-round rookie. So it’s going to be interesting to see who kind of wins the standoff.”
Main Photo: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
