In case you missed the news du jour, Kansas City Chiefs star defensive tackle, Chris Jones, is considering a season-long hold out if he doesn’t receive a long-term contract. Jones tweeted his stance after a report came out claiming Kansas City had yet to make Jones a long-term extension offer north of $20 million annually.
It seems unlikely that Jones would go through with a holdout when he’s set to make over $16 million on the franchise tag. It seems especially unlikely when you consider the team could tag him again in 2021. However, now that a holdout is a possibility, let’s take a look at the depth chart and see what the Chiefs are working with if Jones were to skip the 2020 season.
Mike Pennel:
2019 stats
Total tackles: 24
Tackles for loss: 2
Sacks: 1
Pennel will likely be leaned upon most in terms of leadership if Jones were to sit out during the 2020 season. He’s going into his seventh NFL season and his second with the Chiefs. He stepped up in the locker room in a big way after landing on the team more than midway through the 2019 season. He helped transform the run defense in Kansas City, but he also was productive getting after the quarterback for the Chiefs. He has 10 total tackles, a ball batted and a pass deflected during the postseason as well.