Well, this is something. Arguably the top young talent on the Chiefs’ defense is taking a stand…and saying he’ll sit out the season if he doesn’t get a long term deal.
Jones was kept off the free-agent market this offseason with the franchise tag. If he and the team don’t agree to a long term deal by July 15, he will either have to sign his franchise tag or choose to sit out the season.
The team is said to have offered him a contract worth $20 million per season, which would make him the third highest-paid interior defensive linemen in the league, but Jones has balked at the offer.
Fans like to go after players who hold out a better deal are “in it for the money,” but they aren’t often privy to the details of these contracts and as they say, the devil is in the details. NFL contracts in particular are only as good as the guaranteed money in them.
Regardless of how good the offense is in Kansas City, the Chiefs can’t really afford to be without a talent like Jones and his 24.5 sacks, 49 QB hits, and 27 tackles for loss over the past two seasons. His absence could make things interesting for a lot of AFC teams looking to gain some ground on the reigning champs. Especially their division rivals like the Raiders, Chargers, and Broncos.
