The Tremendous Bowl champion Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and defensive star Chris Jones have agreed to the framework of a five-year contract that features $95m assured and retains the All-Professional defensive deal with off the free-agent market, sources informed the Related Press.
The cash that’s assured is predicted to come back over the primary three years with one other two years that aren’t assured. The deal makes Jones the highest-paid defensive deal with in NFL historical past.
Jones, who turns 30 in July, turns into one of many highest-paid defensive gamers within the NFL, falling simply behind the $34m common annual wage paid by the San Francisco 49ers to edge-rusher Nick Bosa. The deal eclipses the $31.6m common of Rams defensive deal with Aaron Donald, who had lengthy represented the monetary benchmark for a defensive participant.
Jones’s brokers, Michael and Jason Katz, tweeted their congratulations in a put up on X, to “the highest-paid defensive deal with in NFL historical past.”
Jones tweeted moments later: “KC ….5 extra years of greatness! 3x”
Jones made it clear after the Chiefs beat the 49ers within the Tremendous Bowl final month, that he was wanting to chase a three-peat. However he first wanted to succeed in an settlement to stay in Kansas Metropolis, which had confirmed troublesome over the previous two offseasons.
Jones and the Chiefs had been at such an deadlock coming into the ultimate yr of his earlier contract that he skipped your complete offseason program, together with a compulsory minicamp and coaching camp, and Week 1 of the common season. Jones piled up practically $4m in fines earlier than agreeing to an incentive-laden one-year deal that acquired him again on the sector this previous season.
Jones responded by beginning each sport the remainder of the way in which, together with a meaningless regular-season finale towards the Chargers, when he acquired the final sack he wanted to set off a $1.25m bonus in his contract.
Jones had one other half-sack in a wildcard win over Miami in one of many coldest video games in NFL historical past, then helped Kansas Metropolis win street video games over Buffalo and Baltimore to return to the Tremendous Bowl. In that sport, the Chiefs fell behind early earlier than rallying to pressure extra time, then profitable the sport on Patrick Mahomes’ landing go to Mecole Hardman.
The Chiefs have been aggressive in attempting to maintain the core of the league’s second-ranked protection collectively subsequent season.
Earlier within the week, the Chiefs used the franchise tag on L’Jarius Sneed, giving them the choice of protecting among the finest cowl cornerbacks anticipated to hit free company on a $19.8m contract subsequent season. The Chiefs additionally might signal him to a long-term deal or commerce him, which not solely would offer some draft capital but additionally some wage cap reduction.
Shortly after tagging Sneed, the Chiefs signed pending free-agent linebacker Drue Tranquill to a $19m, three-year deal that included a $4.5m signing bonus and $12.5m assured. Tranquill signed a one-year cope with Kansas Metropolis comparatively late in free company final yr, however he emerged as one of many unsung heroes of coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s protection.
There may be nothing unsung about Jones, although. The fearsome defensive deal with has been a game-wrecker nearly for the reason that second Kansas Metropolis drafted him within the second spherical out of Mississippi State in 2016. Jones moved into the beginning lineup by the sixth sport of his rookie season, earned second-team All-Professional honors whereas piling up 15 1/2 sacks in 2018, after which started a run of 5 straight Professional Bowls the next yr.
He was voted a first-team All-Professional for the second straight season this previous yr. And whereas it’s unclear whether or not that drove up his worth, it nearly definitely made protecting him in Kansas Metropolis a precedence for the Chiefs with the beginning of free company Wednesday.
