Why Kansas City Chiefs might look to trade Chris Jones this offseason
By John McCarty
Free agency and salary cap could potentially loot the Chiefs of their valuable roster depth.
The Chiefs roster will look vastly different next season than it does right now. Contracts expiring or players with contracts likely requiring their restructure/release will greatly impact the look of the roster; The defense and offensive skill positions among them.
‘Starters’ on defense set to be free agents after this season other than Jones includes Bashaud Breeland, Emmanuel Ogbah (now injured), Reggie Ragland, Xavier Williams, Kendall Fuller, and Mike Pennell among the names.
On offense, Sammy Watkins certainly won’t be back for the contract he has ($21 million cap number for next season, only $7 million cap hit) and Demarcus Robinson is a free agent. LeSean McCoy and Anthony Sherman may not return and Blake Bell as the backup tight end may be allowed to explore options.
Can the Chiefs use the money they would have allocated toward Jones keep their organizational depth strong? In the NFL, if you don’t play quarterback, you are depth. Jones is good, but do the Chiefs pay the freight or does the depth that has come in so valuable down the stretch get the money instead?