The defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs have loved what they have gotten out of Chris Jones. The defensive lineman had his best season ever last year en route to another championship. Throughout the offseason, many wondered what would happen with Jones as he is entering the final year of his contract. We got our answer today. Jones was absent at the start of camp as he seeks an extension.
Kansas City Chiefs Chris Jones Absent From Camp
Jones has spent his entire seven-year career in Kansas City. In that time he has had 65 sacks and 12 forced fumbles. What is even more important is his ability to show up when the lights are brightest. He always seems to step up his game once the playoffs roll around. 2022 was a banner year as he was named first-team All-Pro and finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting. It makes sense that he would be seeking an extension as his current deal has no guaranteed money.
Trouble With The Defending Champs?
The hope is the team can get this resolved. General manager Brett Veach said he “felt good” about where talks were at in the offseason. Often a deadline like training camp and a very public absence is enough to get contract talks done. However, that is not a guarantee. If this spills over into the season, the Chiefs’ defense could be without one of their best players. While having Patrick Mahomes on the other side of the ball cures a lot of things, at some point, the Chiefs will have to stop an opposing offense.
Will the Kansas City Chiefs and Chris Jones partake in a long standoff? It’s hard to tell at this point but in all likelihood, both sides will work on getting something done before the beginning of the season.