The Chiefs announced Monday they have signed defensive tackle Chris Jones to a one-year deal, which should end his holdout. Reed Hoffman/Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs signed Chris Jones to a new one-year contract Monday, which should end the All-Pro defensive tackle’s holdout and could mean he will be on the field when they visit the Jacksonville Jaguars for Week 2.
The Chiefs did not disclose terms, but a source told The Associated Press no years were added to his four-year, $80 million deal, that was due to expire. The person, speaking to AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the deal, said it instead includes incentives to substantially increase what Jones will make this season.
“Chris is an elite player in this league, and over the last seven years, he’s really developed into a leader on our team,” Chiefs General Manager Manager Brett Veach said in a statement. “He’s been instrumental to our success and Super Bowl championship runs and it was a priority for us to keep him in a Chiefs uniform.”
Veach praised Jones’ representation, Jason and Michael Katz, for their work on the deal. The agents accompanied Jones to Kansas City last week and sat alongside him in a suite at Arrowhead Stadium to watch the Chiefs’ season-opening loss to Detroit.
Chiefs Coach Andy Reid said hours before the deal was announced that there had been recent communication between the sides.
“Two things were obvious,” Veach said. “Chris wanted to be (with the) Chiefs and the Katz brothers worked diligently on his behalf.”
Jones gave up a $500,000 workout bonus, was fined $50,000 each day for missing a mandatory minicamp and all of training camp, and forfeited nearly $1.1 million in his first game check for holding out through Week 1. It’s unclear whether the provisions in his new deal will allow Jones to recoup the millions he already lost.
The statement from the Chiefs did not discuss what could happen next season. The club could still work out a long-term deal with Jones, along with placing the franchise tag on him and allowing him to leave in free agency.
• The Chiefs are trending toward having at least one of their missing All-Pros on Sunday in Jacksonville.
Reid said that tight end Travis Kelce, who hyperextended his knee in practice last week, has been progressing in his recovery. He wanted to play in Thursday night’s loss to Detroit, but Reid and Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder decided to make him inactive for the season opener after a workout earlier in the day.
“Travis is getting better,” Reid said. “We’ll see how he does the rest of today or tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”
The Chiefs could certainly use their star tight end after their offense fizzled in the 21-20 loss to the Lions.
Without his security blanket, reigning NFL league MVP Patrick Mahomes was just 21 of 39 for 226 yards with two touchdown passes and an interception. The pick bounced off the hands of Kadarius Toney, who had several of the eight drops by Kansas City receivers, and was returned by 50 yards for a touchdown by Lions rookie Brian Branch.
Meanwhile, backup tight ends Noah Gray and Blake Bell combined to catch five passes for 43 yards.
“We’ll get the receiving things taken care of. I feel good about the receivers we have,” Reid said on a zoom Monday with local reporters. “We are not normally guys that drop the ball but we did and we have to fix it. But I think there is talent that will just keep improving as they continue to play. I have seen them do it before. I think we’ll get that worked out.”
The Chiefs have had some extra time after playing Thursday night. The Jaguars won 31-21 on Sunday in Indianapolis.
BROWNS: Starting right tackle Jack Conklin sustained a “major” left knee injury in the first half of Sunday’s win over Cincinnati and will miss the remainder of the season, a major personal blow and significant one for the Browns.
Conklin, who returned last season from a severe injury to his right knee, tore two ligaments when he was inadvertently rolled up on by Bengals end Trey Hendrickson at the end of a pass play in the first half of the Browns’ 24-3 season-opening win.
Conklin was finishing off his block when Hendrickson hit him from the side after being pushed down by Browns left tackle Jedrick Wills. Jr. Conklin was carted off the field and tests Monday confirmed the diagnosis.
SAINTS: Defensive end Payton Turner, who left Sunday’s season-opening victory over Tennessee with a foot injury, “probably” needs surgery that could sideline him for an extended period, Coach Dennis Allen said Monday.
Turner, a 2021 first-round draft choice out of Houston, struggled with injuries during his first two seasons, when he appeared in a total of 13 games combined.
Last season, he exhibited potential in the eight games he played, getting two sacks and five tackles for loss to go with a blocked potential game-winning field goal.
BENGALS: Joe Burrow made history as the new top money-earner in NFL, then played the worst game of his career so far.
Whether it was the miserable, rainy conditions in Cleveland, a calf injury that wiped out training camp for him, or the distraction of contract negotiations, the Pro Bowl quarterback just wasn’t himself. He finished with 82 passing yards – his previous career low was 148 – and never looked comfortable as the Bengals lost 24-3 on Sunday.
Burrow mentioned the lack of reps he got in training camp because of a calf strain that sidelined him for more than a month of the preseason. He didn’t get back to practice until Aug. 30 for the Bengals (0-1).
“Those things happen when your quarterback doesn’t perform in training camp,” he said. “That was obviously something I would have liked to have done. But there are no excuses.”
But it was more than that. There were dropped passes, communication errors, penalties and the constant harassment of pass rusher Myles Garrett, the leader of a good Browns defense. Burrow didn’t complete a single pass to Tee Higgins, despite targeting the receiver eight times.
“Stuff like this happens,” Burrow said. “We’ve been here before.”
FORMER CINCINNATI BENGALS defensive back Adam “Pacman” Jones was arrested early Monday after police responded to a report of an “unruly passenger” at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, authorities said.
Jones was booked on misdemeanor counts of alcohol intoxication, disorderly conduct and terroristic threatening, Captain Kevin Klute of the Boone County Jail said.
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