Chris Jones is a pending free agent and, as a fan favorite, this has Chiefs Kingdom in an emotional disagreement. Here’s why the Chiefs should make him a priority this off season.
Chris Jones is one of the best interior defenders in the NFL. You can easily put him in the conversation with players like Aaron Donald for the most dominant defensive lineman. Opposing offensive coordinators structure their game plans around double teaming Jones, leaving better opportunities for his teammates along the line, because he’s the type of player that can and will wreck your game plan if you don’t properly account for him.
Jones showed it a number of times this season, both in the regular season and playoffs, and it was incredibly apparent in the Super Bowl. Without his penetration on passing downs, and his uncanny ability to bat down passes, it’s unlikely the Kansas City Chiefs walk out of Hard Rock Stadium with their first Lombardi Trophy in 50 years.
Obviously, with Patrick Mahomes as the quarterback, it’s conceivable the Chiefs can win a Super Bowl without Jones. There are other areas on defense the team needs to address. However, there are a few reasons why the defensive line and an extension for Jones in particular should be a top priority.
The first is Jones’s leadership, both physically and emotionally. It was clear in several games, from the Minnesota Vikings game in Week 9 to Super Bowl LIV, that Jones’s presence in the middle upped the intensity among the defense. He’s a player that feeds off the game’s biggest moments, and his teammates feed off of him. This is difficult to measure, and can’t be calculated in any advanced analytical model, but it’s a high value attribute all the same.
Second, Jones’s ability to play multiple positions is key. He has great ability rushing the passer from the interior on first and second down, but he’s just as effective kicking outside on obvious passing downs when the Chiefs defense switches to their nickel and dime sub packages. His versatility makes him more valuable player given that he can play a higher percentage of snaps, if the Chiefs prefer.
The final factor, which I think carries the most important, is the dynamic between defensive linemen and cornerbacks on Steve Spagnuolo’s defense. The question when signing Jones to a long term deal is whether this leaves enough room for the team to sign a top corner. With limited cap space in 2020, it’s unlikely the team can sign both.
The Chiefs only have two corners under contract for 2020, and this complicates things. Cornerback is undoubtedly a more valuable position in football, so regardless of what they do with Jones the team will need to fill out that position with multiple players in both the 2020 NFL Draft and NFL Free Agency. However, given Jones’s performance and Spagnuolo’s scheme, I think he is a priority over a corner.
Why is this? Because even with a group of vagabond corners, with players who have bounced from team to team their entire career, Spagnuolo and his staff were able to piece together the sixth best pass defense in the NFL, according to advanced statistics. Spags has spent a lot of time as a defensive backs coach in both college and the pros, and defensive backs have a penchant for excelling in his system.
It’s why I’d argue the Chiefs should focus on strengthening their front seven, by re-signing Chris Jones, and look for cheaper deals and NFL Draft prospects for the back end of their defense. The talent in our coaching staff should be able to elevate the cornerback group. Meanwhile, by extending Jones, the Chiefs would be able to keep a star player they’ve groomed since he was drafted for a city he clearly loves—and a fan base who loves him back.