5 Defenders Chiefs Will Have to Replace After the Super Bowl
The Kansas City Chiefs are just days away from facing the San Francisco 49ers at Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. The fanbase is buzzing as the Chiefs look to become the first team to win three championships in five seasons since the New England Patriots did it between the 2014 and 2019 campaigns.
It's exciting to see the Chiefs in the Super Bowl again, but it's important to remember that this could be certain players' last game with the organization. After all, free agency opens in just over a month and Spotrac lists 25 Kansas City players hitting the open market — including several key names on defense.
With that being said, here are five defenders that the Chiefs will likely need to replace following the Super Bowl.
1. DT Chris Jones
Chris Jones is, arguably, the Chiefs' biggest free agent this offseason. The five-time All-Pro defensive tackle has been with the organization since he was drafted 37th overall in 2016 and ranks fifth in team history with 75.5 sacks across eight seasons.
Nevertheless, Jones' time in Kansas City could be over once Super Bowl LVIII is over. The 29-year-old veteran is set to hit the open market and carries a projected annual value of $28.4 million, per Spotrac. The Chiefs do have over $23.8 million in cap space and could restructure contracts to create more room, however, it could be a bad idea to use all that money on a defender who turns 30 later this year.
As much as fans would love to see him re-signed, even Jones acknowledges that Sunday's game could be his last in a Chiefs jersey. The majority of the league would love to have his presence on their defensive line, so I'm sure at least one team out there would be willing to pay around $30 million for his services.
Jones tallied 20 solo tackles, 10.5 sacks, and four broken-up passes in 16 games for the Chiefs this regular season. Considering how he was named All-Pro first-team for his work, it's safe to say it'll be extremely difficult to replace him.
We've got at least one game left with Jones and you can score a $200 bonus from FanDuel Sportsbook if Kansas City wins! Just sign up, deposit at least $10 and bet $5 or more on Kansas City and you'll get an extra $200 in bonus bets if your wager wins. Sign up for FanDuel now!