Chiefs will use franchise tag on Chris Jones, but want him around for the long term
The Kansas City Chiefs want pass rusher Chris Jones to be part of their long-term future. In order to do that the team needs to make sure Jones doesn’t sign with another franchise in the offseason.
The Chiefs will prevent that scenario from taking place as the team plans to use the franchise tag on the 25-year-old Jones, according to Yahoo Sports’ Terez Paylor.
The Chiefs indeed plan to franchise tag Chris Jones, a source confirms. The franchise window opens today. @RapSheet had it first.
— Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) February 27, 2020
That move shouldn’t come as a surprise. Given Jones’ age and production, he would have been one of the most sought after free agents had he hit the open market. In four seasons, Jones has registered 136 tackles, 72 quarterback hits and 33 sacks. Since he has been in the league, Jones also leads all players in batted passes. The Chiefs couldn’t risk losing that production.
While some players bristle at the thought of taking a one-year deal under the franchise tag, the Chiefs have bigger aspirations for Jones. The team wants to sign Jones to a long-term deal at some point, according to Ian Rapoport.
Coming off a Super Bowl win, the next challenge the Chiefs face is finding a way to lock up their core players to ensure they remain in contention for years to come. Jones may be the first of that group to get his big pay day. Patrick Mahomes won’t be far behind.
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