Kansas City Chiefs star Chris Jones is a holdout and obviously doesn’t like his existing contract, which is in its final year and pays him $20 million.
What does the playmaking defensive tackle “like”? A social media suggestion that he be traded to the Dallas Cowboys, that’s what.
Jones and the Chiefs are “not close on a deal,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is reporting, even as the defending Super Bowl champs from Kansas City open the season on Thursday against the Lions.
This has led, of course, to media speculation that connects Jones – said to be seeking an all-time-high $30 million APY deal – to the Cowboys. Why? Because that’s what “media speculators” do for a living.
Additionally, there is a rumor that what the Chiefs want in trade from Dallas is Osa Odighizuwa and first-round pick, a likely bogus piece of gossip because it means the two teams have talked trade … and we have no evidence of that.
There is one more fun wrinkle to the story, however. The four-time Pro Bowler Jones recently popped up on social media, noticing that the idea of dealing him to Dallas had been broached by a fan … and reacting to the suggestion by hitting the “like” button that Jones likes the idea.
Is the idea at all viable? As with most of these sort of gossip items, Dallas’ reputation for “chasing names” is more of a driving force than is any true understanding of the Cowboys’ cap plans.
Dallas has been assertive and smart in assembling a title-contending roster with more work to be done on new deals with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb (maybe soon) and with Micah Parsons (eligible after the close of the 2023 season). There is a delicate balance to what the Cowboys have done here.
Are there times to bend the balance? Giving in to Zack Martin during his holdout says “yes.” But no amount of rumors of “name players” being pursued by the Cowboys – from Dalvin Cook (where there was zero interest at his price tag) to Mike Evans (who wants they sort of money earmarked here for Lamb) to Jones – is likely to greatly alter the well-mapped-out plan.
Jones recorded 15.5 sacks last season as an interior lineman; he’s a special player. But the Cowboys at present will tell you that they’ve built a get-to-the-quarterback powerhouse (finishing third in sacks with 54 last year, one spot lower and one sack fewer than Jones’ Chiefs – with superstar Parsons leading the way with 13.5 sacks, followed by a D-line group featuring Dorance Armstrong (8.5), DeMarcus Lawrence, Dante Fowler (six each), and Osa and Sam Williams (four each).
