Chris Jones Holdout Is Poised to Get $2.2 Million More Complicated

While the 2023 NFL season is yet to officially begin, the Kansas City Chiefs already have a problem. Chris Jones, a legitimate game-changer on the defensive line, is holding out. And while his social media posts suggesting that he'll sit out until Week 8 might not be completely accurate, things certainly seem to be at an impasse.

With the start of the regular season just nine days away for the Chiefs, fans will be hoping to see their star lineman back in uniform. In reality, though, the NFL calendar is only going to make things that much more complicated thanks to a potential $2.2 million punishment.

Jones could lose 2 games' worth of salary

For most of the NFL, August 29, is significant enough thanks to the roster cut deadline. For Jones and the Chiefs, though, there's something more at play.

As Albert Breer laid out in Sports Illustrated, "In Article 20 of the CBA, there's a rule that sets a deadline for five days before the end of the preseason [which is Tuesday] for a player to report. If he doesn't, then a team can use a roster exemption to withhold game checks from him even after he reports."

Essentially, if Jones hasn't reported by 4 p.m. Tuesday, which is the roster cut deadline, Kansas City will be able to place him on the reserve/did not report list. Then, when he does join the team, he can be placed on a two-week roster exemption while he gets up to speed. During that window, he won't be paid his salary, which Breer cites as $2.22 million.

While it's possible that the Chiefs won't use that tactic—not only will they want to get Jones back on the field ASAP, but they can agree not to dock any pay as part of larger negotiations—adding two-games worth of additional money into the mix won't help the situation. Even though Jones suggested that he's not worried about the cost of his training camp fines, touching someone's salary usually doesn't go over well.

Further, the Chiefs brass has to strike the right balance between working with Jones and standing firm at the bargaining table. The two game checks provide a bit of leverage, but the organization would be loath to burn a bridge and inspire Jones to leave town next summer over $2.2 million.

Start of the season could make all the difference

At this point, it's tough to make any predictions about Jones' holdout. Besides whispers and ambiguous posts on social media, we haven't gotten any substantive updates in quite a while. So, while a deal could materialize at any time, there isn't a reason to circle one date over the other.

With all of those disclaimers, though, it's possible that the first few weeks regular season could be the turning point. If the Chiefs are rolling and the defense doesn't look like a mess, the organization will have a bit more leverage. Jones could also see the potential for success without him and want to rejoin the squad.

On the other hand, some early losses and overall defensive weakness would swing the pendulum back in his favor. If the two choices are losing ground to the likes of the Bills and Bengals atop the AFC or giving Jones something closer to what he desires, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach might be ready to compromise.

With that said, sports are notoriously hard to predict, and things get even tougher when money is involved. To that end, Jones and his holdout will keep looming large until the day that he steps into the Chiefs' facility.