Salary cap expert sees key difference in possible Chris Jones holdout and Le’Veon Bell
An otherwise uneventful Tuesday* took a nasty turn for Chiefs fans.
*Well, as far as things go during a pandemic
Defensive tackle Chris Jones tweeted that he might follow Jets running back Le’Veon Bell’s lead and sit out the 2020 season if the Chiefs don’t give Jones a deal to his liking.
You can read more on that here.
But salary cap expert Jason Fitzgerald said Jones’ situation isn’t the same as Bell’s. First, a look back at Bell’s story.
The Steelers placed the franchise tag on Bell before the 2017 season, and he signed for $12.12 million. Bell then rushed for 1,291 yards and nine touchdowns and caught 85 passes for 655 yards.
In March 2018, the Steelers put the franchise tag on Bell for a second consecutive season, and he ended up sitting out the entire season.
The Steelers had the option of putting the transition tag on Bell before the 2019 season but he instead became a free agent. Bell signed a four-year, $52.5 million contract with the Jets (which could be worth as much as $61 million).
This is the first time the Chiefs have used the tag on Jones, and as noted, Bell played for the Steelers after being tagged the first time, then sat out.
That’s why Fitzgerald says the Jones-Bell comparison isn’t apples to apples.
At OverTheCap.com, Fitzgerald provided more insight on the differences between Bell’s holdout and what Jones threatened. Remember, Bell had played the 2017 season after signing his franchise tag.
“The Steelers would have had to pay him at the QB franchise rate if they opted to tag him in 2019, which was a number that nobody is going to pay to any non-QB,” Fitzgerald wrote. “While they could have transitioned tagged him at a lower number that type of tag does not prevent a player from getting legit offers in free agency the way a franchise tag effectively blocks free agency. So while one can certainly argue the logic in sitting out a year there was a light at the end of the tunnel.
“Because Jones is on his first tag, the Chiefs would still have the right to tag him again next year at a reasonable rate rather than the QB tag number which is what set Bell free. The only difference for Jones next year would be that the tag would only carry a 1st and 3rd round pick as compensation compared to two 1st round picks if he signed elsewhere. That is still a steep cost to another franchise and probably takes at least half the NFL out of the bidding process. Essentially he would have to sit for two seasons to get to the same place Bell was and that is an incredibly long time.”
You can read more of what Fitzgerald wrote about the Bell-Jones comparison here.
ESPN NFL Insider Dan Graziano also said the Jones/Bell situations are not exactly alike:
This story was originally published July 1, 2020 at 8:14 AM.
