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

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by New World Order

I think he may be gone this year. We save 16 mil with a post-June 1st cut

Was wondering the same thing considering how well Allegretti played.

But will either of them be ready for the regular season?

[New World Order]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath15

Was wondering the same thing considering how well Allegretti played.

But will either of them be ready for the regular season?

If we want to resign Jones they’re going to have to cut Thuney.

I know he’s really good, but that’s nearly a 30 million dollar cap hit for a guard.

It’s possible they restructure I guess…

[Hoover]

I’m not freaked out at all about this offseason.

I think we are in a great position with Jones. We don’t need to tag him. If we want to keep him we can. Sneed is an easy tag. We tag him and if he wants to negotiate a deal with another team fine. But he either plays on the tag. Gets tagged and traded, or gets tagged and a new deal.

If he’s traded then Veach has more draft capital.

We can use existing picks to draft DBs and LBs.

The big question mark is LT and WR. That’s where Veach has to work his magic

[493rd]

Spags says LJ and Trent are the “secret sauce” of the D so I’m guessing we prioritize LJ over Jones, who’s going to want a final huge contract to stay.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by New World Order

If we want to resign Jones they’re going to have to cut Thuney.

I know he’s really good, but that’s nearly a 30 million dollar cap hit for a guard.

It’s possible they restructure I guess…

I don't think it's that binary.

It could mean they cut him after 2024. Or it could just mean they make another sacrifice.

[IowaHawkeyeChief]

Originally Posted by New World Order

I think he may be gone this year. We save 16 mil with a post-June 1st cut

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/kansas-c...-thuney-19028/

According to this Thuney's contract is $26.9 (due to restructure) and his Dead Cap hit is $21.9, he will be on the team for the $5 mil difference.

[Gary Cooper]

Originally Posted by Wallcrawler

Not sure which is more hilarious. That take, or the pay Orlando Brown Jr. take.

Not real good at identifying shitty left tackle play. You should work on that. Wanya Morris was so bad he made Donovan Smith coming back into the lineup look like Willie ****ing Roaf.

Imagine thinking that a starting left tackle is "a waste of money".

Probably go watch Superbowl 55 again to get a refresher on the value there.

Wanya was a rookie playing against great pass rushers. I wish he played better but his struggles were expected.

I'm assuming they either move Taylor to LT or draft a LT. What are the odds they gamble on Tyron Smith? The salary won't be large with his age but risky because of his health.

[New World Order]

Originally Posted by IowaHawkeyeChief

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/kansas-c...-thuney-19028/

According to this Thuney's contract is $26.9 (due to restructure) and his Dead Cap hit is $21.9, he will be on the team for the $5 mil difference.

That’s Pre-June 1st

Post-June 1st dead cap is 10 mil, saving us 16 million

[pugsnotdrugs19]

Gretti did what I expected of him - didn't cost them the games - but I still think the loss of Thuney was noticeable at times. More interior pressure for sure.

Keep Thuney another year at least.

[Sassy Squatch]

7 pressures allowed by Allegreti and the run blocking as a whole was kind of shit. He didn't play well at all. Although he did play most of the game with a torn UCL so it's understandable and actually quite admirable he turned in the effort he did.

[pugsnotdrugs19]

Originally Posted by Sassy Squatch

7 pressures allowed by Allegreti and the run blocking as a whole was kind of shit. He didn't play well at all. Although he did play most of the game with a torn UCL so it's understandable and actually quite admirable he turned in the effort he did.

He's your ideal backup at all three interior spots. Nothing more or less.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Hoover

I’m not freaked out at all about this offseason.

I think we are in a great position with Jones. We don’t need to tag him. If we want to keep him we can. Sneed is an easy tag. We tag him and if he wants to negotiate a deal with another team fine. But he either plays on the tag. Gets tagged and traded, or gets tagged and a new deal.

If he’s traded then Veach has more draft capital.

We can use existing picks to draft DBs and LBs.

The big question mark is LT and WR. That’s where Veach has to work his magic

Oh I'm not worried at all. Whatever route they take, they'll have a ton of options available to them. They have a shitload of youth on the defense, more cap space than most contenders do (let along champions) and have a playoff pedigree that's second to none.

They could let Sneed AND Jones walk and I'd be puzzled, but not worried. I don't think there's even a small chance that happens but if it did, we'd have alternatives and come back with a damn good team either way.

[smithandrew051]

If you had to choose between Sneed and Jones, Sneed sounds like the smarter move given age and what he’ll cost.

I just have more faith in Veach to replace Sneed than Jones.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

If you had to choose between Sneed and Jones, Sneed sounds like the smarter move given age and what he’ll cost.

I just have more faith in Veach to replace Sneed than Jones.

Yeah - for me it's a cost effectiveness question as well.

If a fringe #1 WR like Christian Kirk costs $18 million and I can completely remove a TRUE #1 WR from the field for that same dollar figure, clearly I'm money well ahead.

Whereas when a premier G costs $18 million and I have to pay $30 million for a premier DT....well, is that really the best use of resources? When a premier LT costs, what, $25 million and I'm not willing to run Jones against him except as a changeup...I dunno, that math seems wonky if Jones costs $30 million.

It's sort of a silly way to look at some of this stuff, but if I'm going to try to make a strict dollars and cents argument out of it, that's going to have to be part of the discussion.

[dlphg9]

Originally Posted by Wallcrawler

Not sure which is more hilarious. That take, or the pay Orlando Brown Jr. take.

Not real good at identifying shitty left tackle play. You should work on that. Wanya Morris was so bad he made Donovan Smith coming back into the lineup look like Willie ****ing Roaf.

Imagine thinking that a starting left tackle is "a waste of money".

Probably go watch Superbowl 55 again to get a refresher on the value there.

Talk to Veach about it, because he had absolutely no problem making Orlando Brown Jr the highest paid LT in the league.

Also Morris played just fine, especially as a rookie. I have no doubt he will be better and is in there plans to be a contributor on the OL.