The Kansas City Chiefs slapped a franchise tag on star defensive lineman Chris Jones earlier this offseason, something that Jones was not thrilled about.
However, the good news is that the Chiefs and Jones have until July to strike a long-term deal, and on Friday, head coach Andy Reid provided an update on those discussions:
“As long as there’s talk within the parties, I’m good with that,” said Reid, according to Pete Sweeney of Arrowhead Pride. “I think Chris’ representation has done a nice job of keeping it open, too.”
Reid added that bigger deals can take time to complete.
Jones is coming off of a 2019-20 campaign in which he played 13 games and registered 36 tackles, nine sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery en route to his first Pro Bowl appearance.
The 25-year-old, who played his collegiate football at Mississippi State, was originally selected by Kansas City in the second round (37th pick overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft.
Jones played in every game during his rookie year, logging 28 tackles and a couple of sacks. The following season, Jones showed marked improvement, recording 32 tackles, 6.5 sacks, an interception and four forced fumbles.
Then, in 2018, Jones broke out, racking up 40 tackles, 15.5 sacks, a pick, a pair of forced fumbles and a defensive touchdown.
Up until this past season he never missed a game.
The Chiefs won 12 games, captured the AFC West division title and notched a first-round bye this past year. They then went on to capture their first Super Bowl title since the NFL/AFL merger.
Follow Us
Subscribe