Andy Reid: 'I'm sure Chris Jones will be at training camp' for Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs wrapped up another week of spring practice, and while most sessions have been voluntary up until this point, this week's activities featured the annual mandatory minicamp, a three-day session in which every member of the roster is expected to participate unless some exception is made.

That's why it's notable that defensive tackle Chris Jones was not in attendance.

Jones is upset with his current contract as he comes into the final season of his four-year, $80 million deal with the Chiefs, one that he signed three years ago around this same time (mid-July) in 2020. The Chiefs and Jones have reportedly been working on the parameters of an extension to keep him in K.C. for the rest of his career, but so far nothing has been made official.

Andy Reid's statement on Chris Jones's absence from training camp hid a positive message within.

The Chiefs are also pretty much hamstrung financially until a new deal can be worked out with Jones since his cap hit for the coming year is at over $28 million. Signing Jones would not only alleviate any tension between the team's top defender and the franchise but it would also go a long way toward freeing up other funds in the interim to perhaps chase other free agents (e.g. DeAndre Hopkins) or to wait on a timely move as the season gets underway.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid spoke to the media following the end of minicamp and he addressed Jones's absence with a simple statement: "Chris wasn’t here, kind of like last year. Same type of deal. That’s his choice. He chose not to be here, but I’m sure he’ll be at training camp."

That last part is the most important because a player missing in training camp becomes a real distraction to the rest of the team. Questions are asked at a point where everyone is trying to get ready for the regular season. It's also close enough to Week 1 that a player who is forced to catch up after holding out can look unready for the level of play required on the field (e.g. Orlando Brown's early season struggles a year ago).

If Reid is right, the fact that Jones is still expected to make it to training camp should alleviate any real concerns on teh part of fans that something might not work out or that some drama might cloud the picture. This is a veteran team with a strong organizational culture that knows how to win, and Jones has been a part of that for some time now. Both sides have been here before—with each other—and they should see this one through one more time.