Chris Jones Wants $20 Million Annually, Says He "Won't Play" Without New Contract

Unless the Kansas City Chiefs pay Chris Jones what he wants, it looks like they could be forced to defend their Super Bowl without the Pro Bowler's services.

According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network (h/t Grant Gordon of NFL.com), Jones has "always viewed himself as a $20 million-plus" per-year player. However, the Chiefs don't see Jones as a player who deserves that much money, per Garafolo, and there isn't much reason for optimism in regards to the two sides reaching a deal.

Jones later took to Twitter and stated that he "won't play" in 2020 without a new contract, while mentioning New York Jets running back Le'Veon Bell.

Bell was unable to agree to a new deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2018 offseason. He opted to sit out the entire year, and the Jets handed him a four-year contract worth $52.5 million in 2019 free agency.

The Chiefs placed the franchise tag on Jones early in the offseason, but they're right up against the cap, so meeting Jones' high asking price is easier said than done. They already had receiver Sammy Watkins restructure his deal, and superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes is in line for a giant extension soon.

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Jones (26 on Friday) is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL, and he was instrumental in helping Kansas City win Super Bowl LIV last season. He had nine sacks in the regular season, along with four passes defended and one forced fumble.

He posted a career-high 15.5 sacks in the 2018 season, with five passes defended and two forced fumbles. Given his production and age, it's easy to understand why Jones is seeking a massive contract from the Chiefs.

If he decides to hold out, the Chiefs will have a tough decision to make: Do they wait it out and hope he'll eventually return? Do they just meet Jones' asking price? Or do they simply trade him for what would surely be a nice set of draft picks? Only time will tell how this all plays out.

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