What if Chris Jones doesn’t sign Chiefs’ franchise tag? A depth-check as deadline nears
One down, one to go.
The Chiefs took care of quarterback Patrick Mahomes financially this week with a 10-year deal worth up to $503 million. That huge transaction should allow the team to shift its attention to extending defensive tackle Chris Jones.
Jones, who received a non-exclusive franchise designation in March, has yet to sign the tender. He and the Chiefs have until July 15, a week from now, to work out a long-term contract.
If a deal is not in place by the league-wide deadline, the Chiefs and Jones’ representation will need to wait until the end of the 2020 regular season to return to the negotiating table. Barring a sign-and-trade situation, the 26-year-old Jones would play the season under the franchise tag and earn a base salary of $16.1 million.
That is, if Jones signs it.
Jones, who totaled 33 sacks over the past four seasons, recently caused a stir when he tweeted, “Or I won’t play,” in response to an NFL Network video of a panel discussion on his situation. And he would be within his right to take this course of action in the absence of either a new contract or his signature on the franchise tender.
Not having Jones for any length of time is certainly a scenario the Chiefs must consider. Do they enough depth to make up for the potential loss of a Pro Bowl defensive tackle?
Here’s a look at their interior defensive line behind Jones:
Derrick Nnadi: Enters his third season and has 27 starts over the past two seasons, including 16 in 2019. Nnadi totaled 48 tackles, a sack and an interception last season.
Khalen Saunders: In his 2019 rookie campaign, Saunders appeared in 12 games with four starts as a member of the Chiefs’ defensive line rotation. He totaled 22 tackles, a sack and two quarterback hits.
Mike Pennel: Arguably one of the Chiefs’ best midseason signings of 2019, Pennel found a niche as a rotational player in the second half of the season. He proved stout against the run and appeared in eight games, totaling 24 tackles, a sack and a two quarterback hits. The Chiefs re-signed Pennel to a one-year deal in March.
Devaroe Lawrence: The Chiefs became Lawrence’s third team since he entered the league in 2017 as an undrafted free agent out of Auburn with the New Orleans Saints. After a stint with the Cleveland Browns, Lawrence joined the Chiefs’ practice squad in late November. He provides NFL experience, having appeared in 12 games with Cleveland.
Braxton Hoyett: The 6-foot-2, 302-pound Hoyett spent the past season on the Chiefs’ practice squad. He entered the league in 2019 as an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi with the Tennessee Titans.
Tershawn Wharton: The Chiefs currently list this rookie as a defensive tackle, but the 6-foot-4, 255-pound Wharton likely projects as a defensive end. He signed with the Chiefs in late April as an undrafted free agent out of Missouri S&T.
Tanoh Kpassagnon: While he’s a defensive end, this is about options. Kpassagnon showed in 2019 he could do more than rush the passer from the edge, and the Chiefs capitalized on this versatility by lining him up inside in certain personnel rotations. The Chiefs could elect to utilize Kpassagnon, who is entering a contract year, in the same role this fall if Jones is absent.
Free-agent possibilities
If the Chiefs, who currently have $6.2 million in available cap space, want to bolster their interior depth, there are players on the open market to consider, such as:
Xavier Williams: The Grandview native spent the past two seasons with the Chiefs, and a return to KC could make perfect sense because of his familiarity with coaches and teammates.
Damon “Snacks” Harrison: A proven player with 111 career starts over eight seasons with three different teams: New York Jets, New York Giants and Detroit Lions. Harrison earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2016 with the Giants.
Timmy Jernigan: He previously played for the Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles, totaling 17.5 sacks in 51 starts over six seasons. He battled injuries the past two seasons but is a more than capable run-stuffing defensive lineman when healthy.
Robert Nkemdiche: The Chiefs took a chance this offseason with defensive end Taco Charlton, a 2017 first-round pick, so why not take a shot with another formerly heralded player? Nkemdiche’s career hasn’t gone the way most expected after the Arizona Cardinals used a first-round pick (29th overall) in the 2016 NFL Draft to select him. This could be another low-risk/high-reward scenario for the Chiefs.
In the meantime, mark those calendars. The Chris Jones Watch is in full bloom leading up to Wednesday, July 15.
