The Kansas City Chiefs earned a win over the New York Giants on Sunday night, but they didn’t look like the dominant team that has become the NFL’s modern dynasty. While some of the issues can be centered around the absence of Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy, others can be placed around some players who are starting to show their age.
NBC’s telecast focused on Travis Kelce for most of the night, showcasing his fiery interaction with head coach Andy Reid. But the Chiefs may have another problem on their hands if Chris Jones doesn’t play up to his standard after a slow start.
Chris Jones’s Slow Start to 2025 is Chiefs’ Cause for Concern
Jones has been one of the most dominant defensive tackles in the NFL since coming into the league as a second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. With 80.5 career sacks and three Super Bowl rings, it’s also not a surprise that Jones is the highest-paid defender on the Chiefs, playing in the second year of a five-year, $158.75 million contract signed in the spring of 2024.
The deal made sure that Jones would likely finish his career in Kansas City. But through three games, that might not be a good thing. Jones looked great by posting a 73.5 overall grade and three pressures on 36 pass-rushing snaps in the Week 1 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers according to Pro Football Focus. But he still had a costly mishap that wound up causing an altercation with linebacker Nick Bolton.
Jones’s play didn’t look so great against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2, posting a 53.6 overall grade and one pressure in 25 pass-rushing snaps.
The mix of one good game and one bad game presented an interesting early-season test against the Giants. But Jones didn’t show up until halftime as he didn’t log a single tackle in the first half. Jones’s lone first half impact was a negative one as he was called for a defensive holding penalty.
Jones woke up with a sack in the third quarter and his pass-rush numbers were fantastic, logging a season-high six pressures on 40 pass-rushing snaps. But there are other areas of concern such as an overall grade of 58.2 that is over 30 points lower than the 90.2 mark he posted last season and his lowest grade since posting a 72.6 grade in his rookie season.
A run defense grade of 29.3 also allowed Cam Skattebo to stand out on Monday night with 10 carries for 60 yards and a touchdown and the Giants also took advantage with 120 rushing yards as a team. But even if Jones is still a strong pass rusher, is it something the Chiefs would want to keep around with a $44.8 million cap hit next season?
The Chiefs would eat $44.75 million in dead money if the answer is no and they waited to move on after June 1. But even if that answer probably sees Jones in a Chiefs uniform in 2026, they have to find a way to get him back to his elite form.
So far, the Chiefs have only seen it in flashes, giving them a big problem even after earning their first win of the season.