Chris Jones on Chiefs’ plan to use franchise tag on him: ‘It can go one of two ways.’
Nothing is official, but the Chiefs are expected to use their franchise tag on star defensive lineman Chris Jones.
While he was scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent on March 18, Jones will be with the Chiefs for the 2020 season ... if he signs the one-year deal.
Jones was on Fox Sports’ “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” on Thursday, hours after the news broke of the Chiefs’ intention. The conversation turned to the franchise tag, and Cowherd asked if Jones was offended not be offered a long-term contract.
”A little bit,” Jones said. “It’s like a mix of emotions, because you figure after four years, you do everything the right way, within the team way and you try to stay under the lines and out of trouble, and be a good citizen for the team and for the city. You expect to be rewarded.
“When you’re hit with the franchise tag, it can go different ways. You can feel like they’re not valuing you or they’re not valuing what you bring to the table, or you can look at it as giving them time to get their horses in a cage and get something together.”
Cowherd pressed Jones, 25, about how he felt.
“I’m mixed emotions,” Jones said. “I feel a little bit like every team in this league has the opportunity to franchise a good player and ....”
”You’re more than a good player,” Cowherd interjected.
Jones joked: ”I’m the lucky guy.”
Cowherd said if Fox Sports gave him the franchise tag, he’d feel as if he wasn’t liked.
”It’s a little hard,” Jones said. ”It’s like, ‘What else y’all want me to do? I’ve got to go ahead and get 30 sacks — 35 sacks — to show you how I can?’ But the beautiful thing about the franchise tag, it can go one of two ways.
“The team can either long-term you to have you for the future, or they can trade you. Either way, I’ll get paid benefits.”
If it was up to Jones, who has 31 sacks in the past three seasons, he’d like to remain with the Chiefs, who are coming off a Super Bowl victory.
”I would be nice to get paid in Kansas City and stay with (Patrick) Mahomes,” he said. “What they’re building over there, what we’re building is exceptional. I feel like we’re building a dynasty. For (general manager) Brett Veach, it’s about looking at the team, analyzing what you can lose — and what you have to keep.”
Here is the whole conversation:
