Chiefs lock up star defender Chris Jones (right) for four years even after Patrick Mahomes deal.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Pro Bowl defensive tackle Chris Jones agreed to a four-year contract that could be worth up to $85 million on Tuesday, the latest in a lavish spending spree by the Super Bowl champions as they continue to lock up their core pieces as training camp approaches.
The deal for Jones, which comes on the heels of a record-setting 10-year extension for quarterback Patrick Mahomes, includes $60 million in guarantees, a person familiar with the terms told The Associated Press.
The two sides had been working on an extension since last year. But they were never very close, even when Jones showed his displeasure by skipping the entirety of the offseason program — including the mandatory summer minicamp.
Jones returned in time for training camp, though, and his unique ability to rush the passer from the interior of the defensive line was instrumental in helping Kansas City beat the San Francisco 49ers to win its first Super Bowl in 50 years.
Jones said afterward that he wanted to help the Chiefs establish a dynasty, but the euphoria of that victory in Miami soon wore off.
Contract negotiations continued to stall and the Chiefs had to buy time by placing the franchise tag on Jones, and establishing a deadline of today for working out a deal.
And once the contract with Mahomes was done, the Chiefs had a better idea of their salary cap situation and that allowed negotiations with Jones’ representatives to pick up.
“Listen, I think (general manager) Brett Veach has done a nice job of getting and retaining our players,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said recently, “and that’s not an easy thing to do with the way the salary cap is set up in today’s world.”
The length of Jones’ contract works out for the Chiefs in that it expires before the big-money years begin for Mahomes, whose baseball-like contract could surpass $500 million total over the 12 years that he is under contract.
Jones certainly has earned his own impressive financial haul during his first four seasons in the league.
The second-round pick in the 2016 draft started 11 games and had two sacks as a rookie, then bumped that total to 61⁄2 sacks in Year 2. But it was the 151⁄2 sacks that he piled up while helping the Chiefs to the AFC title game in 2018 that really raised eyebrows, and put the Chiefs in the position of trying to hammer out a longterm contract for him.
Jones had another nine sacks last year despite missing three games with injuries, putting himself in an elite tier of interior pass rushers that includes Rams standout Aaron Donald and the Eagles’ Fletcher Cox.
“Got my boi locked up!” Mahomes tweeted Tuesday, when news of the deal broke. Mahomes then alluded to the fact few thought it would get done given the Chiefs’ tight financial situation when he tweeted, “And yall thought we couldn’t”
Notable
The Cleveland Browns are closing in on a contract extension with star defensive end Myles Garrett ,a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
Garrett, the No. 1 overall pick in 2017 and one of the NFL’S top edge rushers, and the team could have the deal completed in the next day or so, said the person.
NFL Network reported the extension could be for five years and $125 million, which would make Garrett the league’s highest-paid defensive player. The
Browns have been discussing the extension with Garrett and his representatives for months.
The Browns have been eager to lock up Garrett to a long-term deal. The team views him as one of the franchise’s cornerstone players who has only begun to reach his potential.
Garrett has recorded 301⁄2 career sacks in 37 games for Cleveland. He had 10 sacks in 10 games last season and was on his way to making another Pro Bowl when he was suspended by the league for the final six games after he pulled off Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph‘s helmet and struck him in the head with it.
• Philadelphia officials said Tuesday that fans would not be allowed to attend professional sports games — meaning the Eagles will not have spectators at any home games in 2020.
Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said the coronavirus safety protocols for the major sports leagues “look pretty good,” but it would not be safe to have people in the stands.
The city on Tuesday announced a moratorium on all large public events that require public permits through February.