Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones has already racked up $1 million in fines for his holdout from training camp. The All-Pro defensive lineman will reportedly keep racking up fines despite a recent contract offer from the Chiefs.
Jones, age 29, is a four-time Pro Bowl selection who is coming off the best season of his NFL career. A former second-round pick, Jones made first-team All-Pro in 2022 and was one of the leading candidates for Defensive Player of the Year.
- Chris Jones stats (2022):Â 29 quarterback hits, 17 tackles for loss, 15.5 sacks
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After playing an instrumental role in Kansas City winning its second Super Bowl, Jones entered a contract year. Wanting to become one of the highest-paid NFL players, the four-time All-Pro selection began a holdout from training camp.
Related: Kansas City Chiefs GM addresses Chris Jones contract talks, trade possibility
- Chris Jones contract: $28.291 million cap hit in 2023, 2024 free agent
Because Jones is under contract with the Chiefs, he receives a mandatory $50,000 fine for each practice he misses. Kansas City isn’t allowed to waive the fine and Jones is subject to daily penalties through the remainder of training camp.
Appearing on the Pat McAfee Show, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network noted that the Chiefs and Jones aren’t close to a contract extension. He also reported that Kansas City has made a sizable contract offer to its top defensive player.
“Chris Jones, holding out. The Chiefs have made a big offer, obviously not big enough. We’ll see how close he gets to Aaron Donald money…I don’t know if he’s shooting to be above Aaron Donald, but that’s the kind of ballpark.”
Ian Rapoport on Kansas City Chiefs contract talks with Chris Jones
Extending Jones is critical to the Chiefs’ success. When he’s on the field, Kansas City has a top-15 defense and Jones’s ability to take over a game lifts the ceiling for this unit. If he’s not out there, the Chiefs’ pass rush becomes a liability and that creates issues for the secondary.
Finding a resolution would also provide Kansas City with immediate cap space, which it could use to sign a third edge rusher in free agency. Jones, entering his age-29 season, is the second-most important player on the Chiefs’ roster and it would be a surprise if the two sides don’t eventually come to terms on a deal.
