Enough is enough with the Chris Jones extension conversation.
Let’s all be honest with ourselves. No one wants to see a good football player, specifically one from their favorite team, leave during their prime years. Additionally, when a Super Bowl window remains wide open, fans tend to tie their emotions to the players that keep those dreams alive. This is where we hit an impasse.
Chris Jones is simply not a reason for the Kansas City Chiefs having an open Super Bowl window. Realistically, there’s only one player who holds the treasure map that leads to the gold here. He wears number 15 on his jersey and is now the NFL’s highest paid man.
Die-hards will say, “Well he batted down all those passes in the Super Bowl!” or “He’s basically the same as Aaron Donald.” or “You need more than one good player to win!”, all of which are up for discussion and debate. However, the truth remains that “contenders” who overpay for non-quarterback players, specifically after already paying their quarterback, tend to close their windows by doing so. The Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks are big examples of this.
Both of these teams have struggled to keep consistent playmakers around their quarterbacks beyond rookie contracts. In order for the Chiefs to avoid this, the best answer is to let Jones play on his franchise tag this coming season, then making a move to trade him in the 2021 season.
This works out for both sides, as Jones gets to prove that he is in fact worth the 20-plus million per season that he’s asking for and the Chiefs get to retain a defensive tackle for one more season during his prime.
In the end, Jones is undeniably a very good player, but his services and demands have likely put Kansas City out of his long-term plans and should look to acquire some assets while they can.
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