Kansas City Chiefs star Chris Jones remains optimistic he and the team will come to terms over a lucrative new contract.
“I can’t really talk about it,” he said Wednesday of the situation, per The Athletic’s Nate Taylor. “Hopefully, we can get something worked out.”
Jones added he “can be out there tomorrow” once negotiations are successfully concluded.
The four-time Pro Bowler also said he has been away from the team entirely because a hold-in “would’ve been a distraction.” His holdout has been the biggest storyline surrounding the Chiefs, so his tactic hasn’t necessarily helped on that front.
In addition, the 29-year-old disputed any notion he’s letting his teammates down.
Jones is in the final year of his contract, and he has watched the market for interior linemen shift significantly since he first signed the deal. His $20 million average annual salary ranks eighth at the position, which certainly doesn’t reflect his on-field value.
According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, around $10 million total could be the gap at the negotiating table.
Florio reported Kansas City is prepared to pay Jones $74 million over the next three years, with $70 million of that figure guaranteed for injury. Jones, for his part, is willing to take $84.5 million for the same term.
Despite his insistence otherwise, it feels all but inevitable the veteran lineman will miss Thursday’s game against the Detroit Lions. He’ll need more than one day to get up to speed physically and in a place where he can step onto the field.
For Kansas City, the priority at this point is ensuring Jones is only out for Week 1. This saga could continue to drag on for a while, though, considering he has said he’s prepared to sit out until Week 8.
