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

[RunKC]

If you have to pick it's Sneed. Next game Chris plays after Sunday he'll be 30. Not smart to pay a 30 year old the house unless that guy is Mahomes.

Spags also blitzes a lot on 3rd down relying on his corners to be lock down. Chris is really good but we wouldn't be bad without him, especially if we can keep Tranquill.

If he leaves I'm going after Sheldon Rankins and a draft pick. Rankins was extremely affordable and played well this year.

[kcfan75]

Originally Posted by Dunerdr

Things you have to say before a super bowl for 500 Alex. No chance Jones makes it back imo unless hes willing to play for less than what he believes his market to be.

Yep, love Chris but let him walk and get younger and cheaper. Keep the Championship ship moving forward.

[pugsnotdrugs19]

I wouldn't necessarily try to 'replace' Chris at DT. Might be better to go with a stouter run defense look inside, help keep your linebackers clean. Keep adding the versatile types like Omenihu who can beat guards on passing downs.

I mean I'd definitely take another great pass rushing 3T if it can be found, but hard to imagine you are getting that in 2024 at least.

[Titty Meat]

Weird how the majority on here want to let Chris Jones walk

[Hoover]

This Super Bowl run has really impacted my thoughts on how this team should move forward next season. Before the playoffs I was ready for a significant revamp that would see Chris Jones walk, and those resources be spend on upgrading the offense in free agency, and using the draft to address DT position. Now I'm not so sure.

At this point if you can figure something out with Jones and tag Sneed, by all means do it. I know Chris is 30, but he isn't 32. Dude has plenty left. With the way this team has played in the playoffs why wouldn't you bring back the studs on this defense and use the draft to replenish at LB, instead of trying to fill a huge hole created by a the Ohminihue (SP?) injury and a Jones departure. Yeah I'd love to keep Gay and Drew at LB, but we can find their replacements in the 3rd and 4th rounds of the draft. DT is a different story.

I think the WR picture is different today than it was during the season too. Still plenty of work to be done for use, but we know what we have in Rice, and now its about finding the right compliment to him. Frankly I don't think the answer is spending a bunch of FA money on a WR. Now I'd love to get Mike Evans on the opposite side of Rice, but if that's not possible, screw it, give me a couple cheaper vets and I'm going to draft another WR with one of my first two draft picks.

I think the real puzzle is at LT. Smith's return is a key reason we are playing in another Super Bowl. Frankly, this is where Veach has to work his magic again. Not sure you can count on Smith making it for an entire season, and you can't walk into next year with Morris penciled in at LT either. You figure out LT, and I think this team is well on its way.

As for Jones, if you can't get a deal done, then I think this is where you have to spend free agent money. I just don't think you can address that spot in the draft and feel like you are ready to make a Super Bowl run. Hell, depending on what you do at WR and LT in free agency, if you could keep Jones and draft a DT hign in the draft, you might be getting the best of both worlds.

Hell the longer I type, the more convinced I am that keeping Jones and Sneed is the only way to go. If you let Jones walk you are just going to turn around and spend basically the same money on the position. Things would be different if Charles didn't get hurt.

[pugsnotdrugs19]

Originally Posted by Titty Meat

Weird how the majority on here want to let Chris Jones walk

I don't think anyone wants him to walk. But there's a price point that becomes too rich, and realistically, other teams will offer it. Chicago or Houston come to mind.

So he needs to settle for less to stay IMO. Overpaying on third contracts is the quickest way to erode your depth.

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19

I don't think anyone wants him to walk. But there's a price point that becomes too rich, and realistically, other teams will offer it. Chicago or Houston come to mind.

So he needs to settle for less to stay IMO. Overpaying on third contracts is the quickest way to erode your depth.

Do those teams offer Quinten Williams money or Aaron Donald money? If it’s Williams, I think he might come back to KC. If it’s Donald money, you move on.

[Dunerdr]

Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19

I wouldn't necessarily try to 'replace' Chris at DT. Might be better to go with a stouter run defense look inside, help keep your linebackers clean. Keep adding the versatile types like Omenihu who can beat guards on passing downs.

I mean I'd definitely take another great pass rushing 3T if it can be found, but hard to imagine you are getting that in 2024 at least.

With Spags tendancy to use big stout DE's inside on rush downs it makes more sense to look for those builds and have pluggers in for run downs.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Titty Meat

Weird how the majority on here want to let Chris Jones walk

It isn't that most WANT him to walk.

It's that most don't see a way to bring him back at $30M/AAV that doesn't cripple other parts of the roster.

[Shields68]

Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19

I don't think anyone wants him to walk. But there's a price point that becomes too rich, and realistically, other teams will offer it. Chicago or Houston come to mind.

So he needs to settle for less to stay IMO. Overpaying on third contracts is the quickest way to erode your depth.

Yep. Unless there is a discount on a one two year deal...But realistically, he is going to want a 4+ year deal paid like a tp 2-3 tackle. That probably is a bad bet for someone who will be 30 next season. Nothing againsst him and he may get that money but on a team struggling to keep other players it is tough to do.

[Shields68]

Originally Posted by Dunerdr

With Spags tendancy to use big stout DE's inside on rush downs it makes more sense to look for those builds and have pluggers in for run downs.

Yeah, you have a chance with a dee that can stop the run. You have no hope if teams are able to run on you at will. Guess spags will need to blitz more and get pressure that way.

[MMXcalibur]

I think we've seen the last of Chris Jones in a Chiefs uniform on Sunday.

Just too much money with other needs coming both now and next year.

[OKchiefs]

Originally Posted by Hoover

This Super Bowl run has really impacted my thoughts on how this team should move forward next season. Before the playoffs I was ready for a significant revamp that would see Chris Jones walk, and those resources be spend on upgrading the offense in free agency, and using the draft to address DT position. Now I'm not so sure.

At this point if you can figure something out with Jones and tag Sneed, by all means do it. I know Chris is 30, but he isn't 32. Dude has plenty left. With the way this team has played in the playoffs why wouldn't you bring back the studs on this defense and use the draft to replenish at LB, instead of trying to fill a huge hole created by a the Ohminihue (SP?) injury and a Jones departure. Yeah I'd love to keep Gay and Drew at LB, but we can find their replacements in the 3rd and 4th rounds of the draft. DT is a different story.

I think the WR picture is different today than it was during the season too. Still plenty of work to be done for use, but we know what we have in Rice, and now its about finding the right compliment to him. Frankly I don't think the answer is spending a bunch of FA money on a WR. Now I'd love to get Mike Evans on the opposite side of Rice, but if that's not possible, screw it, give me a couple cheaper vets and I'm going to draft another WR with one of my first two draft picks.

I think the real puzzle is at LT. Smith's return is a key reason we are playing in another Super Bowl. Frankly, this is where Veach has to work his magic again. Not sure you can count on Smith making it for an entire season, and you can't walk into next year with Morris penciled in at LT either. You figure out LT, and I think this team is well on its way.

As for Jones, if you can't get a deal done, then I think this is where you have to spend free agent money. I just don't think you can address that spot in the draft and feel like you are ready to make a Super Bowl run. Hell, depending on what you do at WR and LT in free agency, if you could keep Jones and draft a DT hign in the draft, you might be getting the best of both worlds.

Hell the longer I type, the more convinced I am that keeping Jones and Sneed is the only way to go. If you let Jones walk you are just going to turn around and spend basically the same money on the position. Things would be different if Charles didn't get hurt.

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.

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by Titty Meat

Weird how the majority on here want to let Chris Jones walk

It's the same thing as the Hill situation. I'd love to have him but not what he's asking for. Hell, I've got a signed Chris Jones jersey. I'd be ecstatic if he retired as a Chief but you can't pay everyone top dollar and field a competitive team. It is what it is.

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by Hoover

This Super Bowl run has really impacted my thoughts on how this team should move forward next season. Before the playoffs I was ready for a significant revamp that would see Chris Jones walk, and those resources be spend on upgrading the offense in free agency, and using the draft to address DT position. Now I'm not so sure.

At this point if you can figure something out with Jones and tag Sneed, by all means do it. I know Chris is 30, but he isn't 32. Dude has plenty left. With the way this team has played in the playoffs why wouldn't you bring back the studs on this defense and use the draft to replenish at LB, instead of trying to fill a huge hole created by a the Ohminihue (SP?) injury and a Jones departure. Yeah I'd love to keep Gay and Drew at LB, but we can find their replacements in the 3rd and 4th rounds of the draft. DT is a different story.

I think the WR picture is different today than it was during the season too. Still plenty of work to be done for use, but we know what we have in Rice, and now its about finding the right compliment to him. Frankly I don't think the answer is spending a bunch of FA money on a WR. Now I'd love to get Mike Evans on the opposite side of Rice, but if that's not possible, screw it, give me a couple cheaper vets and I'm going to draft another WR with one of my first two draft picks.

I think the real puzzle is at LT. Smith's return is a key reason we are playing in another Super Bowl. Frankly, this is where Veach has to work his magic again. Not sure you can count on Smith making it for an entire season, and you can't walk into next year with Morris penciled in at LT either. You figure out LT, and I think this team is well on its way.

As for Jones, if you can't get a deal done, then I think this is where you have to spend free agent money. I just don't think you can address that spot in the draft and feel like you are ready to make a Super Bowl run. Hell, depending on what you do at WR and LT in free agency, if you could keep Jones and draft a DT hign in the draft, you might be getting the best of both worlds.

Hell the longer I type, the more convinced I am that keeping Jones and Sneed is the only way to go. If you let Jones walk you are just going to turn around and spend basically the same money on the position. Things would be different if Charles didn't get hurt.

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.