NFL franchise tag 2020: 10 players most likely to be tagged

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys throws a pass while being pressured by Shaun Dion Hamilton #51 of the Washington Redskins in the third quarter in the game at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

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MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 02: Chris Jones #95 of the Kansas City Chiefs reacts during the game against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

2. Chris Jones

While Patrick Mahomes gets all the glory for the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV victory, the biggest game wrecker on the field that day was defensive tackle Chris Jones. The San Francisco 49ers had no answer for Jones, who affected the game on nearly every play he was on the field.

The Chiefs’ defense as a whole is built around Jones, an elite run defender who can also push the pocket from the defensive tackle spot. Jones did miss a few games due to injury this season and the Chiefs were noticeably worse without him.

There are two priorities for the Chiefs this offseason: locking up Mahomes to a long-term contract and doing the same for Jones. Mahomes won’t be an issue since he is under team control for another few years, but Jones is a free agent right now.

Kansas City knows how important Jones is to their defense, so there is no chance they even let him near the open market. The franchise tag will be used here if Jones doesn’t agree to an extension by the March 10 deadline, giving each side more time to work on a deal.

Jones will earn just over $16 million on the franchise tag, so the Chiefs would be wise to set up a longer-term arrangement to make it easier to put a strong supporting cast together. The more uncertainty there is over Jones’ status, the less wiggle room Kansas City will have to tweak the edges of their roster.

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