The Chris Jones Contract: Understanding the Chiefs Star's Holdout

When you're coming off a Super Bowl title, things are supposed to be happy. The Kansas City Chiefs, however, had a massive black cloud looming over their training camp.

Chris Jones, the elite lineman at the heart of KC's defense, is holding out in hopes of a new contract. And while it's tough to discern a timeline for his return given the social media chatter, it's safe to say things don't look positive. Even if Jones isn't actually absent until Week 8—as his social media activity suggested was a possibility—he's missed an entire preseason and the real games are getting closer by the hour.

From afar, the current situation can seem baffling; why are the Chiefs' brass and their star player at this apparent impasse?

A look at Chris Jones' contract can help connect the dots

How long is Chris Jones' contract with the Chiefs?

Given that Jones hasn't reported to Kansas City Chiefs camp, you might think that there's an issue with his contract. That's true in the conceptual sense—we'll get further into that shortly—but there is a current deal in place.

According to Spotrac's data, Jones is in the final year of a four-year contract with Kansas City. There was a potential out before the 2023 season, but that wasn't activated. That means that, as things currently stand, the Mississippi State product is slated to hit free agency after the 2023 campaign concludes.

What is Chris Jones' salary with the Chiefs?

Linemen may not get the same hype as quarterbacks and wide receivers, but the guys in the trenches are a key part of a successful football team. Jones' salary reflects both that, and his skill at the position.

His four-year contract with the Chiefs pays out $80 million, with three-quarters of that money fully guaranteed. While that may sound like a massive sum of money, Jones' total cash for 2023 is eighth in his position group and tied for 46th across the entire league. When you consider his production—the lineman piled up 15.5 sacks last season, was ranked a top-10 player in the league by his peers, and is the definitive star in Kansas City's defense—it's understandable that he feels like he's worth more.

How much more exactly? Let's consider that exact question.

What contract does Chris Jones want?

As offseason rumors can be exaggerated or otherwise distorted by a game of telephone, it can be tough to get an exact read on what sort of contract Jones wants. Reports, however, do provide some framework.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk, for example, reported that the lineman is looking for $30 million per year.

Writing in The Athletic, Nate Taylor also explained where Jones wants his contract to fit into the positional landscape.

"Entering the final year of his four-year, $80 million contract, Jones wants an extension from the Chiefs that will make him at least the second-highest-paid player at his position, according to a league source," Taylor wrote. "The NFL's highest-paid defensive tackle is the Los Angeles Rams' Aaron Donald, who signed a three-year, $95 million contract restructure last summer. Last month, the New York Jets' Quinnen Williams signed a four-year, $96 million contract extension with $66 million guaranteed, making him the second-highest-paid player at his position."

So, while there are multiple ways to skin the metaphorical cat, it's safe to assume that Jones would also like some stability. That would probably materialize as a three- or four-year contract, with compensation of roughly $30 million per season.

Can the Chiefs afford a new contract?

While Kansas City is up against the current salary cap, that doesn't take a Jones contract off the table. In fact, general manager Brett Veach has spoken about how previous moves have set the table for keeping the lineman in Missouri.

"I think for all parties, I think the best resolution would be for him to end his career as a Chief—and get that financial security—and for us to do what we had set out to do, and that's to work through last offseason with this offseason in mind and get some young guys, which we did that, and then focus on this year and getting Chris done," Veach told Jesse Newell of the Kansas City Star. "Hopefully, we get this resolved, but we have no intentions of making a trade."

Will there be some creative bookkeeping? It's probably safe to assume that Patrick Mahomes is due for another round of contract restructuring and the Chiefs might even need to pinch a few additional pennies to afford Jones.

Veach's comments, combined with his insistence that the lineman won't be traded, seem to suggest that KC is prepared to work through those processes.

Is Jones being punished for his holdout?

Given that Jones is under contract, he is technically violating the terms by failing to report to training camp. That earns him a $50,000 fine per day, which can add up quickly.

While that total may seem eye-watering to a civilian, the NFL star isn't too concerned about cutting a check to his employers.

How big of a loss is Jones?

When you think about the Kansas City Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes and the high-flying offense springs to mind. On the defensive side of the ball, though, Jones reigns supreme.

During the 2022 campaign, Jones piled up 15.5 sacks. That's already an impressive number, but it looms even larger when you consider the context.

Kansas City, as a team, recorded 55 sacks last season. As noted about 15.5 of those came from Jones. Frank Clark, who's no longer with the Chiefs, had five; Carlos Dunlap (currently a free agent) and Khalen Saunders (now with the Saints) had 4 and 3.5 sacks, respectively.

That places the Chiefs' pass rush squarely on Jones' shoulders, with some supplemental help from George Karlaftis and rookie Felix Anudike-Uzomah. And, if the Mississippi State man isn't on the roster, the entire defensive front takes a massive step backward.

In a best-case scenario, Patrick Mahomes and the offense can pick up the slack for any defensive failings. At the worst, the lack of a pass rush could leave No.15 trying to climb a massive mountain week in and week out.

What happens next between Jones and the Chiefs?

That's the (30) million-dollar question.

Without being inside of Jones' camp or the Chiefs' boardroom, it's impossible to know the exact path forward. When you consider that Andy Reid told reporters that there hasn't been communication between the two parties, though, it doesn't seem like an immediate resolution is on the cards.

Could the lineman hold out for the entire season? While that's happened a handful of times, it's not a common occurrence. Once the regular season starts, the factors around a potential deal can shift. Maybe the Chiefs' defense looks atrocious and, after three defeats, Brett Veach is ready to cut a deal. Alternatively, Jones could get antsy after a few weeks on the sideline and bite the bullet to return to action.

Either way, though, the entire AFC—if not the NFL—will be watching the contract situation to see how things unfold.