Chiefs DT Chris Jones & Buccaneers WR Mike Evans Not Expected To Be Franchise Tagged

Adam Schefter reports that due to his 2023 cap number, Chiefs DT Chris Jones is an unlikely franchise tag candidate as the cost would be $32 million instead of the regular $19.7 million.

Schefter also reports that Buccaneers WR Mike Evans‘ projected franchise tag would be $28.4 million instead of the regular $21.6 million, which means he is unlikely to receive the tag.

Indications have been that the Chiefs and Jones have a mutual interest in getting an extension done to keep him in Kansas City long-term. 

However, Pro Football Talk recently reported that a deal between the Chiefs and Jones was not imminent with one source telling them a deal is not expected anytime soon.  

Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reported that the Buccaneers could save $7.387 million against their 2024 salary cap by signing WR Mike Evans to an extension before Monday. 

This would give the Buccaneers a short window of time to get an extension in place for a key contributor and save some valuable cap room to work with this offseason.

Jones, 29, is a former second-round pick of the Chiefs back in 2016 out of Mississippi State. He played out the final year of his four-year, $6.231 million contract and made a base salary of $1.19 million in the final year of the agreement.

The Chiefs franchised Jones before eventually signing him a four-year, $85M extension that included $60 million guaranteed. 

Jones just finished the final year of that deal and was set to make a base salary of $19.5 million in 2023 when he held out through Week 1. The team gave him $6.75 million in incentives to end his contract holdout.

In 2023, Jones appeared in 16 games for the Chiefs and recorded 30 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 10.5, and four passes defended.

We have him included in our Top 100 – 2024 Free Agents list. 

Evans, 30, is a former first-round pick of the Buccaneers back in 2014. He was in the final year of his four-year, $14.631 million, and set to make a base salary of $690,000 for the 2017 season when he agreed to a five-year, $82.5 million extension that includes $55 million guaranteed in 2018. 

Evans made a base salary of $13 million in the final year of his deal and is now set to become an unrestricted free agent next month. 

In 2023, Evans appeared in all 17 games for the Buccaneers and caught 79 passes for 1,255 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns.

We also have him included in our Top 100 – 2024 Free Agents list.