Britt Reid says Chris Jones needs to be more consistent

Chris Jones flashed the sort of impact potential that wowed fans and analysts alike, but his positional coach Britt Reid says he still needs to find consistency.

Last year the Kansas City Chiefs selected defensive lineman Chris Jones in the 2016 NFL Draft. Given the glut of veterans in front of him, a group that included Jaye Howard, Dontari Poe and Allen Bailey, it was presumed that Jones was a future piece, drafted for Britt Reid and company to mold for the sake of the defensive line in 2017 and beyond. Little did anyone realize just how much Jones would be depended upon for impact snaps.

While Jones showed early on why he’s so special, an incredible package of strength, burst and size, he really came on in the season’s second half. Pro Football Focus notes that he had 43 total quarterback pressures and was one of the league’s best interior linemen, naming him to their best under-25 players in the NFL.

Moving forward, defensive line coach Britt Reid, speaking to the press this week from OTAs, acknowledges his incredible ceiling, but points out that Jones needs to learn how to be more consistent in year two.

"I would say that as a whole he’s got to be a more complete player moving forward. He showed some flashes of pass rush ability and we know he can do that. He’s got to do better against the run and then he’s got to be more consistent."

Fortunately, Reid has plenty to praise about him and doesn’t seem worried at all about Jones’ ability to reach his ceiling and bring the same impact on every single down.

"He’s doing a great job, he’s working hard. One thing about him, he’s got a great attitude, he’s positive every day and he’s willing to work. That’s really the biggest thing, he’s willing to work. He’s not afraid to put in the effort and time."

Jones had 28 tackles, 2 sacks and 4 passes defended in 16 games (11 starts) in 2016.