Chris Jones is one of the best players in the history of the Kansas City Chiefs and is unquestionably one of the three or four most important players of the team’s recent run of success. Originally selected in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft, the Mississippi State product wasted no time in establishing himself as one of the league’s premier interior defenders. While he never reached Aaron Donald’s unparalleled greatness, there was a strong case to be made that he was the league’s second-best defensive tackle in the late 2010s and early 2020s.
Throughout the course of his career, Chris Jones has recorded 87.5 sacks, 339 tackles, 99 tackles-for-loss, and 220 quarterback hits in 155 games. He’s made seven Pro Bowls, won First-Team All-Pro on three different occasions, and helped Kansas City win three Super Bowls. No matter how you look at it, he’s a franchise icon and one of the best players of his generation. However, all good things must come to an end, and there is a decent chance the 2026 season will be the last time Jones wears a Chiefs jersey.
According to Pete Sweeney of the Kansas City Star, the Chiefs could release Chris Jones at the end of the season if he doesn’t take a pay cut or restructure his deal.
Chiefs Could Release Chris Jones After 2027 Season
As of this posting, Jones is set to carry an absurd $38.1 million cap hit for the 2027 season. This is a lot of money for any non-quarterback, and OverTheCap says that Kansas City could save $18.6 million in cap space by releasing the veteran. Adding to this, the Chiefs are currently projected to be roughly $16 million over the 2027 salary cap, so releasing Jones could effectively solve their impending financial woes.
Chris Jones is still a good player, but the three-time Super Bowl champion showed signs of slowing down last year. Starting and appearing in all 17 games, the defensive tackle finished the season with seven sacks, 29 tackles, 12 tackles-for-loss, 25 quarterback hits, and a 70.5 PFF grade, the 29th-best mark in the league and the worst of his career. He’s still an above-average defensive tackle, but it’s worth wondering if this is the start of his decline.
Now entering his age-32 season, Chris Jones is past the age when NFL players begin to slow down. The human body can only endure so many hits, and Jones is now entering his 11th season in the league playing an incredibly physical position. Perhaps he can bounce back after last year’s relatively disappointing campaign, but it’s more likely that his days as a truly elite defensive tackle are coming to an end.
Chris Jones will not be a Chief in 2027 without restructuring his contract, but there’s a good chance the two sides will come to terms on a revised deal. Unless he has an elite season, Jones knows he won’t be able to get another record-setting contract on the open market. The Chiefs, meanwhile, would take $19.5 million in dead money by releasing him. Barring something unforeseen, it will be in everyone’s best interest for the two sides to agree to a revised contract at some point before the start of the 2027 league year.
