Chiefs Pick Up DL Chris Jones’ Option, Retain Right To Franchise Him

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Chiefs have picked up their option on DL Chris Jones, which allows them to retain the right to franchise Jones this offseason. 

This move also pays Jones the $4.25 million that he earned in incentives from this past season. 

Rapoport explains that this move was more about timing for the Chiefs, as Jones was already due the money, regardless of whether they picked up the option. 

Jones can still be an unrestricted free agent this offseason should Kansas City not franchise him.

Indications have been that the Chiefs and Jones have 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.  

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 in order 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.