The Kansas City Chiefs got a huge win for their Super Bowl LIX hopes after managing to keep Chris Jones with the team to stop opposing offenses from doing whatever they wanted.
However, there was a time when even the Chiefs Kingdom wasn’t sure if Jones was going to play his football with the team. A recent report revealed that multiple teams were interested in acquiring his services if talks fell through between Jones and the team that drafted him.
Las Vegas Raiders among potential suitors for the Kansas City Chiefs star
The KC Sports Network posted a video on X about the potential suitors who were preparing to throw offers towards the 6’6″, 310-lb defensive tackle:
“You have the Las Vegas Raiders to thank for Chris Jones signing a contract.” 🫨@ByNateTaylor tells @jbbrisco and @RealMNchiefsfan that Chris Jones had several suitors prepared to pay him the bag in free agency. pic.twitter.com/ZVyUDmll8e
— KC Sports Network (@KCSportsNetwork) March 13, 2024
The teams mentioned to be interested in Jones were the Las Vegas Raiders, Houston Texans, Cincinnati Bengals, and the Chicago Bears.
Since Jones signed a massive $158 million deal that will last for five years, it’s clear that the Chiefs didn’t want their star defensive tackle to go to a rival.
All of these teams were probably willing to overpay just to get Jones out of the Chiefs and into their books. The Raiders and Bengals would have especially loved to have Jones on their squad as they’re in direct competition with Kansas City for the Super Bowl.
How important is Chris Jones to the Kansas City Chiefs?
NFL fans who aren’t part of the Chiefs Kingdom may argue that the team paid a little too much just to keep Jones. However, the team’s most hardcore fans will be the first to tell you how important he is to the team.
The two-time First-Team All-Pro tackle has been a staple on the KC defensive line ever since he was selected 37th overall in the 2016 Draft. He’s made 75.5 sacks, 188 solo tackles, 175 QB hits, 12 forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries in his eight years with the newly-minted NFL dynasty.
More importantly, he became one of the pillars of the Chiefs’ defensive unit in 2023. With him putting pressure on the QB, the defense was able to help the misfiring offense find their bearings and get in top form on time for Super Bowl LVIII.
Now that he’s playing for the team in the next five years, the Raiders (and the rest of the AFC) will have to dread Jones barreling toward their QB in the foreseeable future.
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