The Kansas City Chiefs took a major step toward keeping their Super Bowl-winning roster relatively intact, agreeing to a contract extension with Chris Jones that keeps the all-pro defensive tackle off the unrestricted free agent market.
Jones agreed to a five-year deal with the Chiefs, he and his agents announced Saturday night.
His representatives, Katz Brothers Sports, announced Jones agreed to a record contract to make him the NFL’s highest-paid defensive tackle; they did not specify the financial details. Jones wrote on social media he would have “5 more years of greatness!” with the Chiefs. The agreement, once it’s finalized, is expected to pay Jones approximately $160 million over five seasons and will include about $95 million in guaranteed money, according to a person familiar with the pending terms.
The Chiefs did not immediately announce the deal or respond to a request for comment.
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The $32 million-per-season average would surpass the $31.7 million average in Aaron Donald’s three-year, $95 million deal with the Los Angeles Rams as the highest ever for an NFL defensive tackle.
Jones has been selected to the Pro Bowl five times and is a two-time all-pro in eight seasons with the Chiefs. He has amassed 75.5 career sacks and has won three Super Bowl titles with the franchise. Jones had 10.5 sacks in 16 games during the 2023 regular season after missing the season opener while holding out as part of a contract dispute.
He was regarded as the league’s top player eligible for unrestricted free agency. The NFL’s free agent negotiating period begins Monday. That’s when teams can begin lining up deals with free agents from other teams, and then those deals can become official Wednesday.
The Chiefs will attempt to become the first NFL team to win three straight Super Bowls. They previously used their franchise-player tag to limit the mobility of their other top prospective free agent, cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. He would make $19.802 million on the one-year franchise-tag deal, although he reportedly has been granted permission to seek a trade.
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Jones agreed to a revised one-year contract with the Chiefs in September to end his holdout. The revised deal replaced the final season of a four-year, $20 million contract.
“Chris is an elite player in this league, and over the last seven years, he’s really developed into a leader on our team,” General Manager Brett Veach said in a statement released by the Chiefs when that deal was struck. “He’s been instrumental to our success and Super Bowl championship runs and it was a priority for us to keep him in a Chiefs uniform.”
Browns to trade for Jeudy
The Denver Broncos agreed to trade wide receiver Jerry Jeudy to the Cleveland Browns, according to two people familiar with the deal. The trade can become official Wednesday.
The Browns will send fifth- and sixth-round picks in this year’s NFL draft to the Broncos, according to the people with knowledge of the agreement.
Jeudy, a former first-round draft choice, had 211 catches for 3,053 yards and 11 touchdowns in four seasons with the Broncos. He had 54 catches for 758 yards and two touchdowns last season. He joins Amari Cooper in Cleveland to bolster the Browns’ wide receiver corps.
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