David Bell and Laddie Morse
If the Kansas City Chiefs hope to run-it-back after this past season’s successful procurement of the 2023 Lombardi Trophy, they will very likely have to keep the players – at least on defense – together. To do that, it all starts with #95, Chris Jones. Let’s presume Brett Veach determines that the Chiefs can’t do without Jones. What else can be done and how?
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Laddie Morse
To keep Chris Jones it will likely take somewhere in the neighborhood of $30M+ dollars. Before getting into what CJ might be asking for, let’s take a look at the Salary Cap the Chiefs will have available.
In an article for USAToday called, “Chiefs’ offseason to-do list in free agency, NFL draft: Chris Jones’ contract looms large” which was written by , Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, CJ was asked about his future and he said:
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“I know there’s a possibility this could be my last game with the Chiefs. You just take it all in. I’ll let the offseason do its thing. I don’t really focus on it. I’m not too worried about it. After everything is settled and the dust clears, we’ll see where we’re at.“
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Deciding to Keep Chris Jones appears to eb a forgone conclusion. While the Chiefs want to keep him, doing so may be another proposition altogether. In other words, even though Jones may have said he could have played his last game in a Chiefs uniform, that doesn’t look to be the case according to DC Steve Spagnuolo and his wishes. The Chiefs just signed Spags to a new deal — an extension — so giving him what he wants — player wise — may come with the territory.
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David Bell
Chris Jones was indispensable this season, through the playoffs and in the Super Bowl. We know what Andy Reid did celebrating the win at Las Vegas and we know what he said! Here is an “X” video segment of Andy tackling CJ after winning Super Bowl LVIII:
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Reid said of Jones after the game:
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“I was so happy for him (Chris Jones)… I kind of had been riding him a little bit. We needed him in there, and he was spent; he was tired, but he sucked it up, and he got out there, and he pushed himself probably further than he thought he could push himself. He took himself to that state, that wrestling state where you got to really reach down in there and kind of get through that evil thing that is kicking your butt internally. He did that, and I was so proud of him for that.”
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Laddie Morse
Even Rich Baldinger spelled out how meaningful CJ was the the Chiefs defensive effort (2:00):
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It’s clear that Chris Jones is a cog in the wheel that makes the Chiefs Defense go round. We also know that DC Steve Spagnuolo has stated that he’d like both CJ and L’Jarius Sneed to return in 2024.
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David Bell
How can the Chiefs allow Chris Jones, a SuperHero, to depart in Free Agency? In my previous article about retaining CJ, I made the judgment that spending that amount of money on a player who will be 29 in 2024 didn’t make sense. My thinking was if Veach allowed CJ to leave, the monies that remained could be used to retain the other three players in the Sweet Spot article.
I have been thinking about that statement since Sunday. I championed Jones in 2016 when GM John Dorsey drafted him. My thinking now is that the Chiefs must retain him and figure out how to do more to retain other great players. I covered that in an article not long ago also. That article was titled ‘Brett Veach and The Sweet Spot, Times Four‘ in which I identified 4 key players who are to be free agents in 2024: Jones, Sneed, Gay, and Tranquill.
At the Chiefs Victory Parade, Jones yelled, “I ain’t going nowhere, baby!” (0:45):
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After retaining Jones, there may be no cap monies for the other three players. This probably won’t be official until just before the offseason training camp. Let’s hope we don’t have to go through another holdout by Jones.
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Laddie Morse
FoxSports.com published an article this week called, “Mahomes’ three-word warning to NFL as Super Bowl champs face crunch call on ‘keystone’ stars” written by Andrew Jackson in which he said:
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“The contract also gave Kansas City the option to franchise tag Jones, with that figure expected to be at around $32.2 million according to Sporting News… It is a tricky balancing act for a Kansas City team that is also desperate to keep lockdown cornerback Sneed, who was matched up against an opposition’s top receiver for the majority of the season… A simple contract restructure would save the team roughly $37 million in cap space, and Mahomes would have a cap hit in 2024 in the low 20s.”
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The Chiefs have approximately $20M in cap space to work with at the start of free agency. If they can generate another $37M by restructuring Mahomes’ deal, it would go a long way towards being able to sign all the other players they need to keep. I have been thinking it will come down to drafting in a nifty way, the players they need in the draft or even possible signing optimal UDFAs. However, if K.C. can really save $37M by restructuring Mahomes, it would be life changing for a team in great need of cap help including a long wish list.
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David Bell
Trying to figure out a priority will depend on the view of the other three players and how the coaches view the priority of retaining each of the three players. Let’s make it four because it appears to me that IOL Nick Allegretti needs to be added to the list. This puts GM Brett Veach behind the 8-Ball, doesn’t it? Even with the cap help Laddie has mentioned above.
I certainly want to retain Sneed, Gay, and Tranquill! Those are the big three to me.
One thing that might throw a monkey wrench into retaining both linebackers is how well Leo Chenal played in the Super Bowl. He had the highest rating of all players. Chenal is entering his 3rd NFL season and proved the point that he made before training camp in 2022. That’s goodness in itself, but we may see either Gay or Sneed depart in free agency. Keep in mind we also have two more linebackers who must be figured into the equation: Jack Cochrane and Cole Christiansen.
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Both Gay and Tranquill may move on in Free Agency, plus there’s Nick Allegretti. That man played his heart out once Joe Thuney was knocked out of the Super Bowl with a pec injury. Then, Allegretti suffered a UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) tear in the second quarter, but continued to play on despite the injury — all 79 snaps on offense. He is one tough dude and would probably be a starter on another NFL team. If not for the fact that he can play all three IOL positions, he’d probably be gone already. Brett Veach must keep Nick! He is a Chief from start to finish. He is indispensable and too valuable to lose.
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Let’s take a look at all the Chiefs Free Agents whose jobs are on the line this offseason:
- Chris Jones (DT)*
- L’Jarius Sneed (CB)*
- Willie Gay (LB)*
- Drue Tranquill (LB)*
- Nick Allegretti (IOL)
- Mecole Hardman (WR)
- Mike Edwards (S)*
- Donovan Smith (LOT)
- Tommy Townsend (Pu)*
- Prince Tega Wanogho (OT)*
- Tershawn Wharton (DL)
- James Winchester (LS)*
- Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB)
- Jerick McKinnon (RB)*
- Blake Bell (TE)
- Blaine Gabbert (QB)
- Derrick Nnadi (DL)*
- Richie James (WR/Specialist)*
- Darius Harris (LB)*
- Deon Bush (S)*
- Cole Christiansen (LB)
- Jody Fortson (TE)
- Mike Danna (DE)*
- Malik Herring (DE)
- Jack Cochrane (LB)
- Nazeeh Johnson (DB)*
- Mike Caliendo (OL)
- Gerrit Prince (TE)
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Let me know if we left someone out. That’s an extensive list of Free Agents and I doubt Veach will be able to keep them all.
What Might Happen Next?
The next thing on the schedule will be the NFL Combine.
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David Bell and Laddie Morse — ArrowheadOne
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