How the Kansas City Chiefs can free up significant cap space
By Scott Loring
2. Chris Jones (Tag and trade)
When you’re ready to pick your phone up off the living room floor and come back to reading this, you’ll see that, in the very least, it would be fiscally irresponsible for Veach to not even explore what this scenario would really look like. I can’t say this loud enough: It’s not my preference that the Chiefs trade Jones. We are just unpacking the financial landscape of a hypothetical tag-and-trade.
In exchange for the soon-to-be-26-year-old Jones, you’re probably talking about a first-round pick in this year’s draft, and then depending on where that selection falls in the round, another premium pick in the 2020 or 2021 draft. With those picks you still get a good shot at two or more players of need on rookie contracts.
Adding two extra prospects would essentially counter-weigh the trade of two top picks for defensive end Frank Clark in 2019, and while the team could, of course, use as many team-friendly contracts as possible, the defensive line would look very different without one of its best players.
It really depends on how Chiefs brass views the defensive tackle position. Is it a vital cog to making the defense work? Or do they see Jones as a monstrous luxury at a position at which they can succeed with lower-tier players? One case against re-signing Jones is Aaron Donald, the player most consider to be the most dominant defensive lineman in the game, possibly the best player in the NFC. He plays for the Rams, but did they make the playoffs this year?
As one of the three best defensive tackles in the NFL, Jones will command $20 million or more per year. With Clark already in that bracket, there simply might not be room for another power contract like that on the defensive line. Don’t be surprised if the Chiefs choose to roll with Derrick Nnadi andKhalen Saunders as the primary players along the interior (and maybe re-signing Mike Pennell) while simultaneously picking up a couple more prospects.