Kansas City Saves Faces as Chris Jones Remains Absent from Andy Reid’s Carnival

The Chiefs’ roster has gone through some last-minute tailoring. With the deadline closing on Thursday, the Kansas City Chiefs announced the final trimmed-down version of their 53-player roster in accordance with the new guidelines. Coach Andy Reid has accommodated a former fourth-round as a new defensive tackle to the team in exchange for a sixth-round pick to the Las Vegas Raiders while putting veteran DT on the reserve list. 

All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones, who enters his last year of contract with the Chiefs, has remained absent in all the teams’ preseason matches so far, and the recruitment of a fresh player to play his end sets the stage for speculation. The head coach’s recent interview with the press after Kansas City’s practice session sheds valuable light on current team dynamics. 

Expectations former 4th round DT

As reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN, Kansas City exchanged a sixth-round pick to the Las Vegas Raiders with defensive tackle Neil Farrell Jr. during a rare intra-division swap within the AFC West. The 6-foot-4 interior defensive was drafted to the Raiders in the 2022 draft along with fifth-rounder Matthew Butler. 

However, neither of them could see the field much as a rookie. In all his nine games overall, he recorded two quarterback hits, 12 tackles, and one for loss. With a Relative Thletic Score of 0.86 during the pre-draft process he qualified as “great” in terms of size but “poor” or below satisfactory for the rest. 

This season, however, might look different for the 25-year-old DT, since he will have enough opportunity to showcase his skillset. In his second season with Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham, he can further enhance his tackle skills and become more effective on the field as an interior pass along with playing his usual role as run surfer. 

‘There has been no communication’ between Reid and Jones

The Kansas City Chiefs, while unavailing their 53-man roster, have placed defensive tackle Chris Jones on the reserve/did not report list amid his contract holdout. 

Kansas City’s top pass-rusher, Jones, is entering his final year of contract with the team and hopes for a long-term contract extension. Failure to reach a common ground in terms of contract terms has resulted in his absence from the team’s mandatory training camp. 

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Head Coach Andy Reid shared an update on where things lie with Jones after Kansas City’s practice session. “There has been no communication so I don’t know,” he said on being asked about Jones’ absence. “There’s just been no communication.”

The lack of communication between the two parties might indicate a deadlock, with either party refusing to yield. With less than two weeks to the Chiefs’ opening game against the Lions, it is becoming more unlikely that Jones will be playing for Kansas City this season without a new contract. 

Jones could be incurring a fine of as much as $98,753 under the terms. However, as indicated on Twitter, he is willing to hold out until Week 8 if no contract resolution is reached. 

The 29-year-old is the most important member of the Kansas City pass rush that even an additional Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle in the form of Neil Farrell can not replace. 

Regardless of who plays on the field and who is set aside on the reserve list, it is important to acknowledge the fact that, in Andy Reid’s words, “Whatever happens, happens. [The] game goes on, right? That’s how it works.”

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