The Kansas City Chiefs’ star defensive tackle Chris Jones is ready to miss a significant portion of the 2023 NFL season if he doesn’t receive a new contract from the organization.
Jones, who didn’t report for training camp, recently posted a photo on Twitter that features a sign saying: “If it’s out of your hands, it deserves freedom from your mind also.” Many fans took it as a comment on his contract situation with the Chiefs and were wondering how long the four-time Pro Bowler intends to hold out.
Jones engaged with some of the fans responding to the post and said that he is willing to wait until Week 8 while adding that he can “afford it.”
It is unclear whether Jones is being serious about his comments or whether he just wants to put more pressure on the Chiefs. According to reports, the two sides engaged in contract talks earlier in the offseason but found they are “far apart.”
Jones is set to enter the final year of the four-year, $80 million contract he signed with the Chiefs back in 2022. After several defensive tackles inked big deals this offseason, Jones’ is now the eighth highest-paid player at his position. Presumably, he would like to get as close to the top as possible with his new deal.
The 29-year-old player has his best season as a pro in 2022, making a career-high 44 tackles and 15.5 sacks. He added 2.0 sacks during the Chiefs’ Super Bowl-winning run.
