Chiefs DT Chris Jones hasn’t yet officially received the franchise tag from Kansas City. The expectation is that he will receive the tag before the window closes on March 12.
Brett Veach has made his intentions known, stating that he wants to keep Jones as a member of the Chiefs. Veach is also a realist about the situation. He recognizes it will be difficult to get Jones under contract with the other contracts they already have and the salary cap restraints.
Jones has made it abundantly clear how he feels about the team using the franchise tag. He sees himself as deserving of a long-term contract extension and feels he’ll either receive that or be traded by the Chiefs. There’s no situation, right now at least, where Jones plays out 2020 on the tag.
If a trade becomes the best option for both parties, Kansas City could find themselves with one of the most coveted players available via trade. No player slated to become a free agent has more sacks than Jones over the past two seasons (24.5). Then consider that the upcoming free-agent class of pass rushers is lacking, especially if you’re looking to receive help on the defensive interior. The draft class has some promise, but if you want a sure thing, you best pay for it in the NFL.
So what would a trade look like were it to happen? Following the 2018 season, the Chiefs franchise-tagged outside linebacker Dee Ford and sent him to San Francisco 49ers for a second-round pick in 2020. The 49ers then signed Ford to a 5-year contract extension worth $85.5 million. The Chiefs won’t just be looking to find suitable compensation for Jones, but they need to find a team with the money to pay him. Jones knows his worth and will be looking for a contract with anywhere between $20 – $23 million average salary annually.
As far as an asking price for Jones, the return Kansas City received for Ford would not be adequate compensation for a player of Jones’ stature. Unless a premium first-round pick is offered, the starting point in negotiations should be a deal involving a second-round pick in 2020 and a future pick top-100 draft choice. Maybe they’d look to add a draft pick as far out as the 2023 draft when Kansas City will host the event. Keep in mind, the more teams that are interested in Jones, the more his potential return increases. At the same time, thinking Jones could net a Khalil Mack-type haul of draft picks is unrealistic.
Signing Jones to a long-term extension should remain a priority for Kansas City. After all, trading Jones away would create a significant absence for the defense. Jones is the type of player that elevates the play of everyone, from his teammates on the defensive line all the way to the secondary. However, if an offer the Chiefs couldn’t refuse came across their laps, they’d be unwise to not at least consider it.