What the DeForest Buckner trade says about Chris Jones and Chiefs

The Colts trade for DeForest Buckner reveals a few things about the future for Chris Jones and also raises some interesting questions.

On Monday afternoon, the Indianapolis Colts made a major move to bolster their defensive line with one of the most disruptive tackles on the market. Despite rumors swirling around Chris Jones, however, the Colts ended up shocking the NFL by making a move with the San Francisco 49ers for DeForest Buckner instead.

The trade for Buckner is a good one for the Colts, who needed to desperately improve along the defensive front if they were going to make the next leap forward. However, multiple columns will be written around the winners and losers of this deal and there’s no need for further commentary here. Instead, for our purposes, the Buckner deal is telling about a number of things concerning the Kansas City Chiefs and the future of Jones.

SHOW CJ THE MONEY

First of all, Buckner, at the time of the deal’s announcement, had already agreed in principle to a new contract with the Colts that will make him the richest defensive tackle in the NFL not named Aaron Donald. Buckner and Jones have very similar resumes, which means Jones should expect similar money, if not more.

Adam Schefter is reporting that Buckner’s deal is for $21 million annually. The rest of the contractual terms are not yet known, but it’s enough to make him No. 2 overall among defensive tackles.

Considering that Jones will reach a long-term extension with someone at some  point in the near future means that franchise must pony up even more money than that. It’s just how the NFL works. Next in line takes the next step up.

If the Chiefs were to even match that extension in terms of annual amount, then they’re looking at four years for $84 million or five years at $105 million. Those are the exact terms of Frank Clark‘s deal that makes him the highest-paid defender on the Chiefs. Yes, a team can technically afford to pay two players at that level, but it also stretches the team’s flexibility in terms of the salary cap.

NO AFC DEAL?

From here, we can only ask some questions that make sense on the surface. A mid-first round selection in a deep draft is a pretty high price to pay for a defensive tackle like Buckner that you also have to pay $21 million per season. The Colts were willing to do this, because they were hungry for an interior disruptor on the level of Buckner, Jones, et al.

If this is the case, we can look at things from the Chiefs perspective and wonder a key question: Was Brett Veach not willing to trade Jones within the AFC? Did the Colts have to find a team they’ll rarely see face-to-face in order to find a trade partner? The thought of the Chiefs having to face Jones on a once per year is not in any way desirable, and it’d be understandable if Veach just crossed the Colts off the list.

THE ASKING PRICE

The first round pick is quite valuable in a draft like this. At No. 13, there’s a real chance to use it to slide up further for a top-flight tackle or take a replacement for Jones a la Javon Kinlaw or perhaps grab the best linebacker in the class. But what if Veach was asking for more than that from the Colts (or any other team)? What if Chris Ballard, Indy’s GM, went for the lower ask in the end? At this point, it’s obvious conjecture.

TRADE IMPOSSIBILITIES

What this does bring up, however, is a question as to whether or not the Chiefs would even entertain trading Jones. Even as the price tag rises, let’s not forget the Chiefs and Jones both have been very clear at multiple times to state how much they want to find common ground on a new long-term agreement. The Chiefs want Jones to play in red and gold for years to come. Jones wants to finish his career at Arrowhead.

Maybe there’s no deal to be made for Chris Jones because the Chiefs aren’t interested in dealing Chris Jones. Maybe it’s that simple. After all, if you’ve won a Super Bowl by putting the best young interior disruptor next to one of the best defensive ends in football, you don’t mess with the formula that got you this far—even if the cost hurts a little.