Understanding both sides of the Chiefs contract negotiations with Chris Jones

Side B: Front Office

The Chiefs’ front office has every interest in signing Jones to a long term deal from most reports. The problem that teams run into—and why contracts will never be fully guaranteed in the NFL—is two fold.

The most obvious reason is injury. Teams can’t tell the future and one injury could end a player’s career or at least make them significantly less impactful. It’s also another reason why players try to get the most guaranteed money they can.

The other reason, which is slightly less obvious, is motivation. Historically, an argument can be made that some of the players the Chiefs have signed to major deals in the last five years have eventually had a significant problem in this area. I won’t mention names here, but it’s pretty obvious by the level of effort and availability that certain players got their big payday and didn’t feel quite as motivated to compete. It’s unfortunate for the team, the fans, and ultimately those particular players’ legacies, but it’s just part of professional sports.

Now, does Jones seem like the type of player to do this? I would argue no, but it’s pretty difficult to say. Football is an absolute grind. If you signed a contract that guaranteed you a significant amount of money regardless of your production, you might still work hard sometimes. After all, most people who make it to this level are hard workers. Unfortunately, when the going gets extremely tough and your body hurts that motivation begins to dwindle.

So for the Chiefs, just like Jones, this contract is all about the guaranteed money. Limiting the liability of the team if Jones declines due to motivation is one of the top priorities in these negotiations.