Defensive Player of the Year Candidate regretfully admits that he will join free agency in 2024.
As the league has progressed, it has become increasingly difficult for defensive stars to spend their entire career in the same place. For example, future Hall of Famer J.J. Watt appeared to be on his way to the Arizona Cardinals. Even the attraction of the Kansas City Chiefs appears to be insufficient to overcome the pay cap constraints.
Star Defensive Tackle acknowledges that this will most likely be his final season with the Kansas City Chiefs.
One of the reasons the Kansas City Chiefs have had such a successful run in the last six years is their ability to sign outstanding players to team-friendly contracts. Until recently, reigning NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes barely made the top 10 list in terms of quarterback pay. Travis Kelce, probably the best tight end of all time, earns $14 million per year, ranking fourth among tight ends.
Unfortunately for the Kansas City Chiefs, as they’ve seen with wide receiver Tyreek Hill and defensive back Tyrann Mathieu, not all players are willing to take pay cuts. All-pro defensive tackle Chris Jones, who is now on a franchise tag and so making $19.5 million per year, will almost certainly be a cap casualty in the summer.
Chris Jones responds to Free Agency rumors.
Chris Jones recently spoke with NBC Sports’ Michael Smith before of the Kansas City Chiefs’ “Sunday Night Football” exhibition versus the Green Bay Packers. In the conversation, he addressed both the winter holdout and speculation surrounding his future.
“I never take anything personally, man. “The business is the business, man,” Jones remarked of contract negotiations. “It’s a difficult business. It’s a ruthless profession, and you can’t let your emotions get in the way.”
“If we’re being honest, this could be my final season with the Chiefs.” Is it going to make me despise the Chiefs? Am I going to blame the Chiefs? No, I mean, I understand the business side of things. thus I can respect facts, thus I never put my feelings into the business side of things.”
The Kansas City Chiefs’ Sense of Urgency
Jones was then questioned if he felt more pressure to win the Super Bowl because this is likely his final season in a Kansas City Chiefs uniform.
“If this is my final year, I will have given this organization everything I have.” “I’ve tried everything,” Jones remarked. “So, if this is my last year, I’m grateful.” Hopefully not, but if it is, I am extremely grateful to the Chiefs organization, and I have put everything into this.”
The Kansas City Chiefs are presently the second seed in the AFC, trailing only the Baltimore Ravens, and will be seeking to make a postseason push in the final six games of the season.
“I don’t even think about it because when you start thinking about things, trying to plan, nothing really goes as planned, right?” Jones stated. “It’s always a curveball, it’s always something that comes up and it’s like, ‘Ah, well, I had this planned out but …'”As a result, I don’t think about it. We’ll review after the season, see where we’re at, and ideally it’ll still be with the Chiefs.”
