What could a Chris Jones trade bring in return for KC Chiefs?

A couple of weeks ago, I made the case for why the Kansas City Chiefs could trade Chris Jones—even if we don't want to see one. We're now several weeks into his holdout for a new contract, and while a potential trade at this point in the offseason seems unlikely, it's never never totally off the table.

In that article, one point I made was that the Chiefs could get a considerable draft haul in return for Chris Jones. But what exactly could that return look like? I took my cue from the Tyreek Hill trade that Brett Veach pulled off last year where he netted five draft choices: one first, one second, two fourths, and a sixth-round selection over the next two draft classes.

Nobody wants to see Chris Jones traded from the Kansas City Chiefs. But if he was traded, here's what the return haul could look like.

As I've said before, wide receivers are a hot commodity, but pass rushers are worth their weight in gold. Which is why I think the Chiefs could easily get at least two first-round picks for Chris Jones. However, his age could absolutely play a factor in that outcome.

At the absolute least, it seems reasonable that a team would give up one first round pick, a second, and then a few late round picks similar to the Hill trade. Anything less would feel like a net loss for the Chiefs.

There is also the possibility of involving a player(s) in the trade, although it's tough to tell what position Kansas City would be interested in bolstering. After the Charles Omenihu suspension, the Chiefs are in desperate need of a defensive lineman.

But the reality is if the Chiefs didn't get any players back for Tyreek Hill, it's doubtful they'll try and get any players back for Chris Jones. They just don't have a big need for it. I'd expect just a major haul of draft picks. Specifically, I think they should get at least two first round picks, with several mid-to-late rounders as well.

Another factor in this is potential buyers and what kind of picks they have to offer. A rumor floating on X (formerly known as Twitter) earlier this week was the Chicago Bears. Ryan Poles has connections to the Chiefs, and if they really believe in Justin Fields, then they won't necessarily need a first-round pick next year.

The Detroit Lions could also be another interesting possibility. They aren't in desperate need of a quarterback either, and they don't use their draft picks very wisely anyway. Why not flip some of them for Chris Jones? It would also make Week 1 way more interesting.

The common denominator between those two teams is that they are NFC, too. There's almost no way the Chiefs would send CJ to an AFC team. If they did, it would definitely be outside the AFC West. The upside is that most of the AFC has their answer at quarterback, so most of them could move off a first round pick if they really wanted a pass rusher.

Whatever team it might be, if the Kansas City Chiefs decide they don't want to pay Jones top market money, they'd at least be getting a treasure trove of picks in return.