The Kansas City Chiefs have yet to extend Chris Jones, but they should consider the following moves instead.
If Chris Jones chooses not to report to training camp, or worse yet sit out the season, he will forfeit the money earned via the franchise tag. Even worse, he would burn a bridge with the most successful organization in the sport.
Jones reportedly wants to be the second-richest player at his position, behind only Aaron Donald, per The Athletic.
"Jones and the team — led by club owner Clark Hunt and general manager Brett Veach — are at a stalemate for now as Jones seeks an extension that would pay him an average annual salary of $30 million.
"We love Chris," Hunt said… "When he decides to report, we'll welcome him."
Brett Veach only has so much money remaining to play with, and will have to get really creative to pay a player of Jones caliber. Rushing the passer is vital in the NFL these days, which makes it all the more likely that Veach eventually will give in to those demands.
But should he not, Kansas City has more they can do with that $30 million AAV.
Chiefs could sign Dalvin Cook with Chris Jones money
Dalvin Cook is likely to receive a contract north of $10 million on a short-term deal. While he's holding out hope for a long-term commitment, given the state of the running back position, no team in their right mind would hand him that kind of dough.
Kansas City has an excellent emerging back in Isiah Pacheco. He should be their feature back, and has the speed to prove it. Creating a solid 1-2 with Pacheco and Cook would instantly make an already-impressive offense better. Just imagine the plays Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes could draw up with that kind of capital?
Chiefs could play the waiting game with Bengals wide receivers
Excuse me? Yes, it's true, both Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd will be free agents when the season is over.
While it's unlikely that the Bengals would trade either player before the season, let alone to a rival like the Chiefs, Kansas City doesn't necessarily have to use the $30 million freed up by Jones this coming year. If Veach is smart, he'll hold onto it for the start of the next free-agent cycle, where he'll have an opportunity to pick from the best available players. Does that sacrifice from this year's product? Absolutely.
Nonetheless, Jones could choose to return and play on the franchise tag rather than sit out an entire season. If he does, then Kansas City has its pass rush intact with the knowledge that Jones is more than likely to leave next offseason. Veach can plan for his departure, and use the money elsewhere.
Both Higgins and Boyd would prefer to stay in Cincinnati, but a reckoning is coming for the Bengals in the form of Joe Burrow's contract. Once the ink is dry, the Bengals won't have nearly as much financial flexibility as in years past, and one of Burrow's weapons could suffer an all-too-familiar fate. Burrow makes his weapons better, which means Higgins and Boyd are replaceable assets for Cincinnati.
With the Chiefs, they could arguably play for an even better QB. Who says no?
Chiefs could extend Patrick Mahomes instead of Chris Jones
As important as Chris Jones is to the success of the Kansas City Chiefs, there is no player more vital than No. 15. Even Jones knows that. Veach's primary job is to build a winning football team, but the Chiefs wouldn't be nearly as successful without Patrick Mahomes. With that in mind, it's time to increase Mahomes' contract. He's earned it.
Thanks to several other contract extensions signed at the position this offseason, Mahomes is now the seventh-highest paid quarterback in the NFL. That's…relatively unbelievable given he signed a half-billion dollar contract just a few years ago. Yet, Mahomes AAV isn't all that impressive compared to the rest of the league. Perhaps Veach should alter that before Mahomes and his agent set the terms.
Veach has been very open on this matter, and the answer was a little surprising:
"I don't know," Veach said. "On one end, we have Pat's deal done. On the other end, we'll certainly have to monitor the rest of these deals. We have a lot of years with Pat's contract, so that's something we'll have to readjust as time goes."
It's great to have Mahomes under contract, but is it really worth the potential of making him unhappy over time?
The answer to that rhetorical question is an emphatic no. Mahomes is built the right way. He cares more about winning than his financials. Nonetheless, Mahomes also knows he's the best quarterback in football. The Chiefs need to pay him as such.
