The start of the 2023 NFL season is a week away and still, the Chiefs haven't managed to work out an extension for All-Pro lineman Chris Jones.
According to prior reporting, Jones has been asking for a deal that's in range of Aaron Donald, the highest-paid defender in the league.
However, Mike Florio just pumped the brakes on the idea that his ask is that unreasonable.
NFL Rumors: Mike Florio details Chiefs offer and Chris Jones' contract ask
The Chiefs have offered Jones a three-year deal worth $74 million with $70 million guaranteed for injury, per Florio. He would average $24.67 million with that deal.
However, Jones is looking to "split the difference" between the recent DT market and Donald's $31-million-per-year contract. That's closer to $28.17 million.
By those numbers, the Chiefs and Jones are still a ways off, but not as much as it looked like initially.
Those numbers also tell us that this might be more of a Kansas City problem.
An offer of just over $24 million for a player of Jones' caliber feels very low considering Quinnen Williams is making $24 million per year with the Jets. Williams is younger than Jones but he's also had one dominant season. Jones has done it year in and year out and is coming off a 15.5-sack season. No wonder he's holding out.
It's easy to see why the Chiefs wouldn't want to pay Jones $30 million per year at 29 years old. But they should at least show the defensive tackle they're willing to go much closer to the midpoint than they've apparently gone. He's earned it.
Jones is in danger of losing out on a lot of money, including game checks, if he doesn't report for the start of the season. And the Chiefs are in danger of missing one of the key pieces of their defense to start the season.
The sooner both sides come together to get this sorted out, the better.
