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

[KingPriest2]

Originally Posted by kccrow

Because he tore his ACL and likely won't be available until the last month of the season, and won't be anywhere near 100% for the entirety of the season.

I mean, feel free to argue it all day long that we should keep him but I'm 100% on the other side of that fence and not changing my position on it. If he is usable come playoff time, sign him to a short deal then. Otherwise, just use the 7.2m to get someone who can help the entire season.

The only way I'd say keep him is if there is an injury guarantee I don't know about.

No. They’re thinking he ll be ready the first game busynr miss the first 4 games

He good.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

But you have the flexibility to design the last contact in a similar way, a nice 7-or-8-or-10 year long deal that lets you continue to flexibly push money forward as needed.

You have an idea how much the money we pushed forward earlier this year impacts the cap this off season? I know before that happened we were pretty cherry. I haven't seen anything that addressed it after the money was moved around...

[Couch-Potato]

3-Peat!!!

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Rausch

You have an idea how much the money we pushed forward earlier this year impacts the cap this off season? I know before that happened we were pretty cherry. I haven't seen anything that addressed it after the money was moved around...

I mean, 1/5 of it hits the 24 cap instead of this year's cap. Spotrac does a pretty good job tracking prorated bonuses (they're all in one bucket, though. It doesn't break them out.)

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by kccrow

Theoretically, sure. Unlikely though.

I'd agree. But he has got to be making bank on endorsements. Maybe he is willing to drop his contract back a bit to help with his chase at history. That would be a place he could cut it back.

[BWillie]

Why wouldn't we just franchise tag Sneed and then let him walk when hes 28.5 years old? Seems like an obvious play to me but maybe Im missing something. With Watson, McDuffie and Wiliams in the wings

[DavidB]

Lately, we have hit big in the draft, especially the 2022 draft - then the 2021 draft. Wish Mahomes could take a discount or work something out - I know he is the greatest quarterback ever....

[suzzer99]

L’ Jarius Sneed got welcomed home like a true champ! #Chiefs #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/JA144WkS1i

— Dante' Jones (@Dantej21) February 13, 2024

Sneed's neighborhood doing work to try to make him not want to leave. They gave him a big send off too.

[comochiefsfan]

Originally Posted by DavidB

Lately, we have hit big in the draft, especially the 2022 draft - then the 2021 draft. Wish Mahomes could take a discount or work something out - I know he is the greatest quarterback ever....

I’m sure Patrick will do what he can to help within reason.

At the same time, he undoubtedly feels a responsibility to help his peers get paid their worth so he’s never going to take a huge discount.

I believe at the postgame presser he said he was willing to restructure and try to create more room for next season.

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by comochiefsfan

I’m sure Patrick will do what he can to help within reason.

At the same time, he undoubtedly feels a responsibility to help his peers get paid their worth so he’s never going to take a huge discount.

I believe at the postgame presser he said he was willing to restructure and try to create more room for next season.

Why are his peers other QBs on other teams? If the Lamars and the Burrows get paid more, it just means their teammates get paid less. With the cap, it is a zero sum game.

And it seems odd to be worrying about whether those guys are making 35 mil a year or 50 mil year, no?

[irafreak]

Originally Posted by Chief Pagan

Why are his peers other QBs on other teams? If the Lamars and the Burrows get paid more, it just means their teammates get paid less. With the cap, it is a zero sum game.

And it seems odd to be worrying about whether those guys are making 35 mil a year or 50 mil year, no?

Agreed. There's just such a disconnect with athletes and the outside world in terms of making money for a living (i realize it's a scoreboard to a lot of them just trying to prove their worth by making more than their peers). How many mansions do you need? Hell just place 35 million in the bank and live off the interest.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by irafreak

Agreed. There's just such a disconnect with athletes and the outside world in terms of making money for a living (i realize it's a scoreboard to a lot of them just trying to prove their worth by making more than their peers). How many mansions do you need? Hell just place 35 million in the bank and live off the interest.

The players want a bigger share of the revenue coming in. And revenue is at an all time high while the cap only goes up 10-20% each year.

It's the player's bodies that get ruined. It's their 10-15 surgeries during a career. I don't blame them.

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by KingPriest2

No. They’re thinking he ll be ready the first game busynr miss the first 4 games

He good.

On what planet?

It takes about 6 months before you can even start really moving on it and doing serious rehab. That puts you at training camp. Another 3 months just to get to about 75% and maybe play. That puts you into November. It can take another 6 months to get to 100%, meaning he won't be at 100% for any segment of the season so whatever he does play won't be optimal.

[TheGuardian]

Originally Posted by irafreak

Agreed. There's just such a disconnect with athletes and the outside world in terms of making money for a living (i realize it's a scoreboard to a lot of them just trying to prove their worth by making more than their peers). How many mansions do you need? Hell just place 35 million in the bank and live off the interest.

This is something that comes up that never makes ****ing sense to me.

"He has to get that money while he can."

WHAT MONEY? HOW MUCH?

Anyone on the planet should be able to live out their life with 5 million in the bank if they just aren't out buying dumb shit on the daily like Iverson did.

So I wish people would about this when these dudes make enough in one season to last for them and their grandkids lives.

Seriously. Who knows how much Pat even makes from just endorsements alone. Kelsey is worth over 100 million. Pat has to already have that.

So why is this even a discussion in here? I've never understood these convos.

[TheGuardian]

Originally Posted by Rausch

The players want a bigger share of the revenue coming in. And revenue is at an all time high while the cap only goes up 10-20% each year.

It's the player's bodies that get ruined. It's their 10-15 surgeries during a career. I don't blame them.

Dude I'm friends with LOTS of former NFL players and work with them at times, and this shit is not true. None of it. Sure there's guys here or there with lasting injuries but this shit has been blown so out of proportion it's insane.

And even if you needed 10 surgeries why do you need 50 million dollars?