Four potentially scary outcomes for the Chiefs defense in 2023

The Chris Jones situation hits DEFCON 1

I don't even want to talk about this. I don't want to consider the possibility that these contract negotiations jump the rails. I don't even want to think about the "T" word (trade). Chris Jones is as much a factor on the Chiefs' defense as Travis Kelce for the offense. He is the best defensive tackle in the NFL, and he belongs in Kansas City.

But things are seeming a little more wonky right now than they did even a week ago when it comes to his contract extension negotiations with the club. First, the Chiefs allowed the aforementioned Frank Clark, noted friend of Chris Jones, to walk to the Denver Broncos, prompting this tweet.

Spoiler alert: this does not mean "so much happiness". Jones was clearly not a fan of Clark playing anywhere else but the Kingdom next year, and I'd imagine it was a particularly tough pill for the big man to swallow when he found out his pal was heading to a division rival. Jones had publicly campaigned for Clark to be back in K.C. next year prior to the news of his departure, even tagging the Chiefs' official Twitter account in the plea.

Sure, he can probably get over that. Technology is great these days and he and Clark should be able to FaceTime each other regularly and shoot the crap, but another cause for concern arose last week that I can't get out of my head. During the Chiefs Super Bowl ring banquet, Jones was nowhere to be found. Earlier this week he claimed it was because he was "sick", but an absence at an event like that screams to me that something else is going on. Am I overthinking this? Yeah, probably. But what if I'm not?

Chris Jones is a player that opposing offenses have to focus their game plan on. Last season he had a case to be named Defensive Player of the Year, and he's taken the title of best interior defensive lineman away from Aaron Donald at the moment. His 15.5 sacks were a career-high a year ago, and his fourth-quarter sack of Joe Burrow in the AFC Championship brought Lamar's trophy back to Lamar's house. There are so many huge moments that Chiefs fans can look back on over the last 7 years of Chris Jones being a Chief, and to think about that time ending is both a sentimental bummer and a nightmare when it comes to the Chiefs on the field product.

Brett Veach and co. have said that extending Jones is priority number 1 at the moment, let's hope that's the case. Trading away Tyreek Hill proved to be a fine move for the Chiefs, but remember that happened before the draft. There is no immediate return on a trade for Jones that could patch things up for the coming season. An extended holdout or trade demand would be a demoralizing blow to anything the Chiefs hope to put together on the defensive side of the ball this year. If that happens, Patrick Mahomes and the offense better plan on putting up 35+ per game.