Chiefs, Chris Jones agree to terms on four-year deal worth $85M, with $60M guaranteed
Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones is officially staying put for the long-term in Kansas City.
The Chiefs and Jones agreed to a four-year deal worth up to $85 million, with $60 million in total guarantees, a source confirmed Tuesday with The Star. ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported the news.
With a deal that averages $20 million per year, Jones becomes one of the NFL’s highest-paid interior defensive linemen behind Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams ($22.5 million per year) and DeForest Buckner of the Indianapolis Colts ($21 million per year), according to Over the Cap.
Jones’ signing comes a week after the Chiefs gave superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes a monster deal potentially worth half a billion dollars, and one day before the league-wide deadline for teams and designated franchise players to have deals in place.
If the Chiefs and Jones didn’t agree to a multiyear deal, Jones would have played the 2020 season under the team’s franchise tag.
The Chiefs initially ensured Jones didn’t enter the market as an unrestricted free agent in March by designating him as a non-exclusive franchise player, which carried a one-year, $16.1 million price tag. He played the 2019 season in the final year of his rookie contract while earning a base salary of $1.9 million.
Jones, who turned 26 on July 3, has worked hard to command the new lucrative contract. Since entering the league in 2016 out of Mississippi State as second-round pick by the Chiefs, the 6-foot-6, 315-pound Jones has developed into one of the NFL’s premier pass rushers.
Over the past four seasons, Jones has totaled 33 sacks, including a career-high 15.5 sacks in 2018, and 72 quarterback hits. He’s made 136 tackles during that span, including 37 for a loss, two interceptions, seven forced fumbles and 20 passes defensed.
Jones earned his first Pro Bowl selection in 2019.
With such a key piece of the KC defense back in the fold, the Chiefs’ interior defensive line is set: Jones, Derrick Nnadi, Mike Pennel, Khalen Saunders, Devaroe Lawrence and Braxton Hoyett.
The Star’s Sam McDowell contributed to this report.
This story was originally published July 14, 2020 at 12:51 PM with the headline "Chiefs, Chris Jones agree to terms on four-year deal worth $85M, with $60M guaranteed."
