Shortly after quarterback Patrick Mahomes signed his recent contract extension with the Kansas City Chiefs, he contacted teammate Chris Jones, who was also expecting a new deal.
“Pat texted me and said, ‘Let’s do this. I left some [money] on the table for you. That was when I had that assurance that the Chiefs and I were going to figure something out, “Jones said Monday.
Jones was right. The defensive tackle and the Chiefs agreed to a long-term contract a few days later. The deal could pay Jones up to $ 85 million in the next four years.
The new contract allows Jones, 26, to continue his career with the Chiefs, the team that selected him in the second round in 2016. It will also allow him to continue his legacy as one of the NFL’s best passing runners. Jones led the Chiefs in sacks in each of the past two seasons, at 15.5 in 2018 and nine last year.
“For me, nothing has changed,” said Jones. “It’s still about being the best I can be. It’s still about being the leader of the catch and being the defensive player of the year. I’m always pushing myself to new heights … It’s about having a career in the Hall of Fame, get a gold jacket.
“If someone said to me, ‘You could take $ 20 million or 20 bags,’ I would take the 20 bags any day. That’s where my mind is, where my heart is: get bags, win championship rings, have fun, enjoy the process. That’s where I am right now. I love bags with passion. I love rushing by. I could wake up every day and I could rush every day. It’s my passion, it’s my dream, it’s my goal. It’s the love of my life. “
For those reasons, the Chiefs were comfortable giving Jones the long-term contract he had always wanted.
“In recent years, Chris has truly shown himself to be an elite player in his position and truly one of the best defensive players in the National Football League,” said general manager Brett Veach. “From how much he’s already accomplished on the field, we certainly feel like he’s only scratching the surface with his age and talent.”
It took the Chiefs and Jones some time to get there. Jones resisted offseason practice last year in hopes of getting a new contract at the time, though he reported in time for training camp even though it didn’t happen.
The parties were initially unable to reach a settlement this year, so the Chiefs kept Jones out of the free-agent market by making him their franchise player. The long-term agreement was not reached until last week. The Chiefs first had to clear the salary cap space (at one point they had $ 177 to work below the cap) and then conclude negotiations with Mahomes on his 10-year extension, all in the midst of a pandemic.
The Chiefs slowly proceeded with the Mahomes and Jones contracts due to uncertainty regarding future salary cap levels.
“We certainly had some obstacles to overcome,” said Veach. “We were motivated and determined all this time … Our plan was to do a lot of the things we’ve done this offseason, but right at the top of that list were Pat Mahomes and Chris Jones.”
“That’s why this took some time. We were just trying to go through all the scenarios. We don’t know where the limit is going to be, but we have to have plans in place and established if it grows. [or] It remains the same [or] I ask myself. … We have enough game planning to protect ourselves and we feel good. “
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