Chiefs Sign Franchise DT Chris Jones To Four-Year, $85M Extension

July 14, 2020

Update: According to Chris Mortensen, the Chiefs and franchise-tagged DT Chris Jones have come to terms on a new deal before the deadline.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter says Jones’ deal is for four years and a total of up to $85 million with $60 million guaranteed.

The base value is $80 million
Jones can make $5 million in incentives
The veteran also received $37 million at signing
The $60 million in guarantees is for injury

According to Ian Rapoport, the Chiefs and DT Chris Jones are nearing a deal for a major extension to keep Jones in Kansas City.

Rapoport says nothing has been finalized yet but as Wednesday’s deadline draws closer the two sides are making progress. The current framework is a four-year deal, per Rapoport.

Jones is reportedly seeking a deal similar in value to teammate Frank Clark’s five-year, $105 million contract that included $63.5 million guaranteed. However, Kansas City was reportedly offering him closer to $42 million guaranteed over the first three years in a long-term deal.

A few weeks ago, Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reported that Jones “has always viewed himself” as a player worth $20 million per year, but Chiefs have never felt that he’s worth this kind of money.

According to Garafolo, Kansas City has never made Jones an offer in the neighborhood of $20 million per year and believe they can re-sign him at a lower number.

Jones later responded by tweeting that he “won’t play” without a contract extension. After Jones suggested he was willing to sit out the 2020 season, the two sides reopened extension talks recently.

The problem for Jones in the scenario is that the Chiefs can use the franchise tag on him again in 2021, although it would cost the Chiefs even more to use the tag in back-to-back seasons.

The franchise tag will cost the Chiefs $16.1 million fully guaranteed for the 2020 season.

Jones, 25, is a former second-round pick of the Chiefs back in 2016. He just finished 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.

In 2019, Jones appeared in 13 games for the Chiefs and recorded 36 tackles, nine sacks, one forced fumble, one recovery and four pass defenses.

We’ll have more regarding Jones as the news is available.