Chiefs Rumors: New Chris Jones suitors, Stephen A blasts front office, Moore

Chiefs Rumors: Stephen A. Smith blasts front office over Chris Jones fiasco

Stephen A. Smith certainly agrees with the general principle of "pay that man."

The ESPN figurehead went on First Take this morning to blast the Chiefs front office for allowing the Jones snafu to continue. While he gives the Chiefs' offense the credit it deserves, Smith believes the path to another Super Bowl would be significantly more challenging without Jones as the head of the snake defensively.

"We've got to give the Chiefs defense some credit for them ultimately capturing the Super Bowl," says Smith.

Jones led the way for Kansas City's defense last season with 15.5 sacks and 44 combined tackles. He laid 29 hits on opposing quarterbacks and was a frequent purveyor of headaches for opposing offensive coordinators.

Smith then takes it one step further. He notes the absence Eric Bieniemy, who left the Chiefs' offensive coordinator role for a promotion with the Washington Commanders. "[Andy Ried] will have to do it himself," says Smith with regard to Kansas City's offensive playcalling.

The absence of a titanic figure on offense, combined with a potential Jones holdout, could be too much for the reigning champs to overcome.

One has to believe the Chiefs will pony up and pay Jones eventually. He's one of the best defenders in the NFL, straight up. He wants a lucrative restructured contract because he absolutely deserves one. He doesn't play running back — great defensive tackles get paid.

Again, if the Chiefs don't pay Jones, somebody else will. This saga could drag out into next season if the Chiefs so desire, but Kansas City should be entirely focused on winning another Super Bowl in the short term. The best way to accomplish that is to pay Chris Jones.