Chris Jones full contract proves Chiefs have an eventual out if they want it

The Kansas City Chiefs signed star pass-rusher Chris Jones to a lucrative contract extension over the weekend, reloading for what could be a third-straight Super Bowl for Patrick Mahomes and Co.

Jones deserves every penny of his deal, do not let this article distract from that fact. When all is said and done, Jones could earn over $158 million in a five-year span. That includes a $30 million signing bonus, and over $60 million guaranteed in his first two seasons. Jones backed up a 15.5-sack campaign in 2022 with a 10.5-sack season in 2023.

He is one of the best sack artists in football and will now be paid like one, as he set an NFL record for average annual salary for a defensive tackle at over $30 million.

Chris Jones Chiefs contract still comes with a catch

The biggest concern with Jones contract is that it's frontloaded to a certain degree. Jones 2026 season salary also guarantees in 2025, so the Chiefs would have to cut him loose then to avoid such fees, which seems unlikely given his production.

Jones will receive the majority of his payday prior to the 2026 season, as over $90 million of his $101 million in guaranteed money will be paid out prior to the final two years of his contract. This provides the Chiefs with a unique out for the final years of Jones contract, which are by far the most risky due to his age and expected decline in production by then.

The Chiefs may incur cap penalties by then, or have to buyout some of Jones remaining contract, but what originally looked like an enormous hit for Brett Veach and the Kansas City front office to take on in the later years of their run is suddenly...somewhat affordable?

Considering Jones huge cap hits in the 2027 and 2028 seasons, it's fair to assume they'll try to find a way out of his deal by then. Yet, Jones is worth the price tag, as signing him could be the difference between extending a dynasty and wasting years of Mahomes prime.