The Kansas City Chiefs find themselves in a contract negotiation standoff with Chris Jones, their All-Pro defensive lineman. As the 29-year-old enters the final year of his contract, both sides haven’t made much progress in reaching an agreement, leading Jones to initiate a holdout.
With a base salary of $19.5 million for the remaining year of his contract, Jones recently disclosed his holdout timeline. He currently holds position of the ninth highest-paid defensive tackle in terms of average annual salary on the four-year, $80 million deal he signed.
Jones’ impact on the Chiefs is undeniable, underscored by his first-team All-Pro selection last year. He accumulates an impressive record of 65 sacks, 12 forced fumbles, and three turnovers in his seven seasons with Kansas City.
Chris Jones Is Prepared to Sit Out for Multiple Weeks
If there is a team that could overcome the loss of a star player, that’s probably the Chiefs. However, on the defensive side of the ball, Jones’ presence is too remarkable for them to be contenders without the superb defensive tackle.
In response to a query on social media about the end of the holdout, the two-time Super Bowl champion had a short answer. Jones wrote “Week 8”, indicating that the preseason might not be the only time he’s absent from the team. This choice would also have financial implications.
Having already incurred over $1 million in fines for missing training camp, Jones would additionally forfeit $1,083,333 for each game he misses, according to Arrowhead Pride. When confronted with the potential financial loss, Jones confidently stated: “I can afford it.”
Who is the highest paid defensive tackle?
Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams is the highest paid defensive tackle in the NFL, with a $31.666M salary in annual average value, per OverTheCap.
