KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones did not report to Chiefs training camp on Saturday. The news was first reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN. Each day that Jones misses of training camp equates to a $50,000 fine.
Chiefs’ All-Pro DT Chris Jones, who has been seeking a new deal this off-season, did not report with the rest of the team to training camp today, per source. The two sides remain “far apart” on a new deal for the Defensive Players of the Year finalist. pic.twitter.com/7doEzdxZcO
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 22, 2023
Jones is in the final year of a four-year, $80-million-dollar contract with the Chiefs. The seven-year veteran signed the deal on July 14, 2020. Jones earned a $37.626 million dollar guarantee and an overall guaranteed for injury of $60 million.
The four-time pro bowler has a $28.291M cap hit for the 2023 season. Jones average-per-year under his current contract is $20 million. It places him ninth among interior defensive lineman in per year average.
Jones was present at the Chiefs visit to the White House on June 6. He missed three days of mandatory minicamp in June. The fines for his absence over those three days tallied $98,753. Teams are unable to waive the fines under the new collective bargaining agreement that was signed in 2020.
The former 2016 second-round pick last spoke on July 12 at the ESPYs to accept the best team award.
“Thankful for the Kansas City Chiefs organization, Brett Veach, Coach Andy Reid. I was put in a remarkable situation to play with these guys behind me,” said Jones, referencing Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Isiah Pacheco. “They score all the points. I just go sack the quarterback. My job is easy. You know what I mean.”
Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald agreed to a three-year extension worth $95 million ahead of the 2022 season. It included $65 million in guarantees with $46.5 million of those guarantees coming at the time of his signing. The agreement made Donald the highest-paid interior defensive lineman in the league.
Donald has played in 148 games with 109 career sacks including playoff games, while Jones has played in 122 career games and has accrued 67 career sacks, including the playoff game.
Second on the interior defensive line in per year average is Quinnen Williams of the New York Jets. Williams signed a four-year extension worth $96 million, $47.835 million guaranteed at signing and $66 million in total guarantees. The contract averages out to $24 million a year. $4 million more per year than Jones, but $7.6 million less per year than Donald.
The Chiefs begin its first team practice on Sunday, July 23. The team's first regular season game is 47 days away, when they open up against the Detroit Lions at home on Thursday, Sept. 7 at 7:20 p.m. You can watch it right here on KSHB 41 along with all of the Chiefs preseason games, starting with the Chiefs traveling to the New Orleans on Sunday, Aug. 13 at 12 p.m.
