The Kansas City Chiefs entered the offseason with one big priority at the top of their list.
They needed to make sure to keep star DT Chris Jones in town, and they did just that.
According to a report by Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Chiefs signed the superstar tackle to a very lucrative five-year deal.
The Chiefs made Jones the highest-paid DT in the league at around $32 million a year, with the first $95 million essentially guaranteed.
Rapoport adds that the final numbers are still being worked out, but it’s pretty much done.
Chris Jones’ 5-year deal should make him the NFL’s highest-paid DT at around $32M per year. The first $95M or so are essentially guaranteed, and the final numbers are still being worked out. But a mammoth deal for a mammoth defender as a result of good-faith negotiations. https://t.co/w2Xub4OpR0
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 10, 2024
The Chiefs and Jones failed to agree to a new contract last offseason.
He threatened to hold out and didn’t even suit up for the season opener, a loss to the Detroit Lions.
The Chiefs’ defense was the main reason behind their Super Bowl run this season, all but making his unmatched impact all the more evident.
Steve Spagnuolo and company are likely to lose star CB L’Jarius Sneed, which will obviously be a big blow to their secondary.
However, they simply couldn’t afford to see Jones walking away if they wanted to have a chance to become the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls in NFL history.
Jones was aiming for Aaron Donald’s contract and he got just that.
And while that might seem like a lot of money for a defensive tackle, we’re talking about one of the most impactful defenders in recent NFL history, and the defensive anchor of a championship team.
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