Barring a surprise run at the end of the season, it is clear the Kansas City Chiefs need to head into the offseason open to making drastic changes. Near the top of potential moves that the Chiefs might make is parting ways with defensive cornerstone Chris Jones. Although the veteran is under contract through 2028 due to his $158.7 million contract, it's going to be hard to watch that deal play out if his performance doesn't improve.
Opting to pay the defender was clearly the right decision with the information the Chiefs had; however, it has aged poorly.
Chris Jones Could Be Chiefs' Bigges Trade Chip His Offseason
Jones has eight sacks since the start of the 2024 season, headlining the decline in production.
It isn't just the lack of sacks, though, but consistent mistakes that have opened the door to a possible offseason trade. One example was in Week 1 when Jones slid to the inside of the defensive line and allowed Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert to scramble down the open sideline for the game-clinching first down. Another moment fans will point to is the poor effort against the Jacksonville Jaguars that allowed Trevor Lawrence to score a touchdown.
Jones' 86.2 Pro Football Focus pass rush grade is solid at a glance, but it's also his worst effort since 2017 (83.1). He only has 41 pressures so far, which is a massive drop-off from last year's 88. That's without mentioning his abysmal 19.0% missed-tackle rate, or the fact that his 43.6 run defense grade is 20.4 points worse than it was last year.
If the Chiefs want to shake up the current core, there is no better answer than making Jones a trade chip and looking ot rebuild the pass rush. According to Spotrac, a post-June 1 trade would create a whopping $35.1 million in savings, which is huge for a Kansas City team that's projected to be more than $30.9 million over the 2026 salary cap.
Even though this season has been a disappointment, championship-hungry teams are going to believe they can unlock this version of Jones with a change of scenery. If that's the case, general manager Brett Veach has to listen to any offers, even if the return isn't mind-blowing. As disappointing as Jones has been, things could get even worse if his play keeps regressing.
Whether it is signing Trey Hendrickson or pulling off a blockbuster trade, the Chiefs need the cap space to bring in a player capable of consistently getting to an opposing quarterback and changing the game. Jones is no longer that player and has little time left to change opinions about what his status should be heading into the offseason.
For the Chiefs, dealing away Jones sends a message to the rest of the roster as well that your contract or past accomplishments don't guarantee your role. A piece of the frustrations this season has been the lack of urgency and a seeming level of contentment with the current level of play. The Chiefs must do something to shake this up, and trading Jones does this while bringing in a return and freeing up the needed cap space.