Brett Veach prioritizing re-signing Chris Jones, L'Jarius Sneed

[RunKC]

What some of us have been wondering...

HENDERSON, Nev. -- Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said he is aware of the challenge the organization faces in re-signing both defensive tackle Chris Jones and cornerback L'Jarius Sneed but said it would be an offseason priority to get both players under new contracts.

"Sometimes I look at our situation and I'm like, 'I don't know how we're going to do this,' but we usually work through things systematically and have a list of the priorities,'' Veach said as the Chiefs continued preparations for Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers. "Certainly, Chris and LJ are at the top of the list.

"It's extremely hard because you have two keystone players there.''

Jones, 29, has been one of the NFL's top pass-rushers for years. He had 10.5 sacks this season to tie for the team lead after missing training camp and the first regular-season game while holding out for a new contract.

He didn't get the extension he was looking for, but the Chiefs sweetened the final season of his existing contract.

"It was important for us to mend the fences with Chris because we love him and he's an iconic player here, not just here, but I mean of all time,'' Veach said. "That was important for us, and we'll continue to work hard and see if we can get something done, but it will be a priority for us.''

The Chiefs used Sneed, 27, this season to defend against the opponent's top receiver much of the time, and none had big games against him.

Jones and Sneed are key players for an improved Chiefs defense that allowed fewer points than all but one other team during the regular season and held the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens to 41 total points in the playoffs.

The Chiefs had defenses that were at times competitive since Patrick Mahomes became their starting quarterback in 2018, but rarely were they consistently so. Veach and the Chiefs found the task of building a top defense difficult because the past few seasons they were carrying Mahomes' massive contract.

"I still remember in '17 and '18 just saying if we can just get them to punt just once we've got a shot,'' Veach said. "Now all of a sudden it's like all we've got to do is just score once and we're good.

"Going from where we were in '17 and '18 to having one of the best defenses, knowing the constraints we had of just paying [Mahomes] and probably drafting later [in rounds], I don't think I ever envisioned having a top one or two defense.''

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...-ljarius-sneed

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by RunKC

The question you should ask is this: would the Chiefs Super Bowl teams from 2019 and 2022 win 2 straight road games in Buffalo and Baltimore?

Winning on the road in the playoffs has always been about defense. From the Steelers, Patriots, Bucs with Tom to this years Chiefs.

Gun to my head I try my best to fill the cap keeping Chris and Sneed (Chris will decide a lot of that too) while using the draft to get more offensive weapons.

LT will be the key though. That's tough.

Could you do it? Sure. But it's going to severely hinder your team moving forward.

You would need to restructure Mahomes at the highest amount and then cut MVS and Omenihu. That puts you at $77 million in cap space. You have to figure that Jones' cap hit is going to be close to $30 million. You might be able to lower it to something like $25 million in the first year but that only makes the ones later larger. Even if you franchise tag Sneed, that's still $18 million.

That gives us 43 players under contract. 48 if you bring back all of the ERFA players. That's around $25 million to fill out your roster.

[pugsnotdrugs19]

Originally Posted by RunKC

The question you should ask is this: would the Chiefs Super Bowl teams from 2019 and 2022 win 2 straight road games in Buffalo and Baltimore?

Winning on the road in the playoffs has always been about defense. From the Steelers, Patriots, Bucs with Tom to this years Chiefs.

Gun to my head I try my best to fill the cap keeping Chris and Sneed (Chris will decide a lot of that too) while using the draft to get more offensive weapons.

LT will be the key though. That's tough.

Devil's advocate - 2019 and 2022 teams played well enough in the RS to not have to go on the road while also securing the BYE.

So maybe next year that road warrior run isn't necessary to begin with if the offense doesn't **** around all year.

[O.city]

The key is gonna be for Pat to play the regular season like he's played this postseason or better and for the WR's to hang on to the football.

Keep building the defense and draft offense.

[The Franchise]

They more than likely aren't cutting Moore and Toney has guaranteed money. That puts your WR group next year as:

Rashee Rice
MVS
Justin Watson
Skyy Moore
Kadarius Toney
Justyn Ross
Shi Smith

If MVS is a cap casualty, which is no guarantee, then you're more than likely adding 2 guys max to that room. I highly doubt that one of those guys is going to be a high dollar FA. You're maybe looking at a mid level FA and a draft pick.

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by The Franchise

They more than likely aren't cutting Moore and Toney has guaranteed money. That puts your WR group next year as:

Rashee Rice
MVS
Justin Watson
Skyy Moore
Kadarius Toney
Justyn Ross
Shi Smith

If MVS is a cap casualty, which is no guarantee, then you're more than likely adding 2 guys max to that room. I highly doubt that one of those guys is going to be a high dollar FA. You're maybe looking at a mid level FA and a draft pick.

The WR room needs to go back to 5 like in past years. The offense started playing better late in the season when WRBC went by the way side. That needs to happen in September

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19

Devil's advocate - 2019 and 2022 teams played well enough in the RS to not have to go on the road while also securing the BYE.

So maybe next year that road warrior run isn't necessary to begin with if the offense doesn't **** around all year.

Yeah I think the defense probably looks a lot like last years if we lose Chris. We gave up more than 27 points 5X including the SB.

Basically you have an above average debatable 10 top defense but with a far better offense that can score 30+ if it needs to.

Feels like the happy medium we should shoot for here is a balanced team with with slightly more to the offense. So basically the 2022 team.

[Hoover]

Originally Posted by OKchiefs

I don't think anyone knows when Chris Jones will slow down, might not be this year but if you're signing him to a deal around 3-4 years it's likely by year 3 or 4 he's making around $35-40 million on a backloaded deal and is nowhere near that level of player at that point. I just don't think it's wise to be sinking $30 million a year on a 30 year-old player based on past performance. You won't completely replace him but between the draft and FA I think you can get 75% of his impact split between multiple players and you decrease your risk from sinking so much money into a single player who is more likely to get injured at his age.

I also don't think anything has changed in the postseason in regard to WR play. The only difference is they pared down the rotation at WR, aside from Rice the WR room still needs a significant infusion of talent. I don't think anybody is suggesting we necessarily go out and spend $18-20 million a year on someone like Evans or Higgins, but several (including myself) are suggesting we sign someone like Mooney or Hollywood Brown which will likely take somewhere in the range of $10-15 million a year. Need to draft 1-2 as well. Not sure how you are able to afford a WR at that price range if you're extending both Sneed and Jones in addition to maybe signing Smith again at LT and other depth pieces that will be needed.

I don't have any faith that Mooney or Brown are going to get the targets it will take to justify their contract. At best whatever WR holds down than spot is going to get less than 75 targets, so you better spending accordingly.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

"It's extremely hard because you have two keystone players there.''

Code for: We can't keep them both.

Code for: We're keeping LJS.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by O.city

The key is gonna be for Pat to play the regular season like he's played this postseason or better and for the WR's to hang on to the football.

Keep building the defense and draft offense.

No reason to go all-out in the regular season, especially with what should be one of the toughest schedules in the league (again). As I noted prior to this season, win enough to get in and I like our chances. The truth is we could play lights out all season long and STILL not get the #1 due to schedule, luck, etc. Treat it like the NBA regular season and then win a Chip. Rinse. Repeat.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by Hoover

I don't have any faith that Mooney or Brown are going to get the targets it will take to justify their contract. At best whatever WR holds down than spot is going to get less than 75 targets, so you better spending accordingly.

Hollywood Browns spotrac projection is 14 mill per.

[Pitt Gorilla]

I also think the Tranquil gameplan will pay off again with other players. Hey, come sign with KC and get a ring!

See Red and think Super Bowl(s).

[Refried]

Originally Posted by The Franchise

They more than likely aren't cutting Moore and Toney has guaranteed money. That puts your WR group next year as:

Rashee Rice
MVS
Justin Watson
Skyy Moore
Kadarius Toney
Justyn Ross
Shi Smith

If MVS is a cap casualty, which is no guarantee, then you're more than likely adding 2 guys max to that room. I highly doubt that one of those guys is going to be a high dollar FA. You're maybe looking at a mid level FA and a draft pick.

Man I hope you are wrong. Would be nice to bring in another solid #2

[MahomesKnows]

I'm thinking we'll sign a guy like Curtis Samuel and spend a high pick on WR. Samuel isn't a burner but he's sure handed and has been healthy the past year. I think you can pair him with Rice and draft a speed WR.

[poolboy]

Bringing in a high dollar, free agent receiver that demands the ball, is not the way
Pat seems to like the youngers, so he can build

[OKchiefs]

Originally Posted by Hoover

I don't have any faith that Mooney or Brown are going to get the targets it will take to justify their contract. At best whatever WR holds down than spot is going to get less than 75 targets, so you better spending accordingly.

Why at best? MVS had 81 targets last year, Juju had 101, Kelce 152. Kelce will likely see his usage continue to go down towards 100-120 targets IMO, Rice should be good for 100-120, little reason to expect our WR2 to not be capable of 80-90 targets.