This post belongs over in the draft forum, which is where we've been talking about this potential decision for months.

I've gone back and forth. I can see the reasoning on both sides. Let me be clear, I love Jones, and in this season in particular, he's become the player he always had the potential to be; he's become an ALL-AROUND terror, and a true leader. In the past, he freelanced too much and could get exposed against the run, and while being a very likeable kid, was maybe a little immature. This is the season where he became THE MAN, in my estimation.

Love to see it.

But if you can upgrade three or four positions in terms of draft capital and cap resources, you may have to do it.

You can't look at it like- Jones is all we have, and you want to trade him?!
The point is, if you DO, you can add three, maybe four guys that are upgrades. Lots of good defenses in the NFL that don't include Chris Jones.

OR, you can try to build around him, but that will probably mean that a guy like Sneed walks after 2023. And we have a situation at LT. And RT that need dealing with this offseason.

So it's not as simple as hanging on to the guy you want to hang on to. Everybody loves Jones and wants him to be in KC. But is that in the best interest of the team long-term? I don't know.

Only because you're viewing "no Chris Jones" in a vacuum. You can't just remove Jones, look at what's left and say "hell no". Because that's not how it would work.

No Jones is enough cap space for two, maybe three quality players, and a couple of extra high picks to add a couple more. So, you'd have to see what that looks like before you can judge. It's a risk, for sure, but There are many better front fours in the NFL that KC and they don't have Chris Jones on them.

I'm not sure what I'd do, but it's a much harder decision than it would immediately appear.

I dont really know value of players in trades. Very few get those two firsts. "People" are saying, Chris will bring that.

So if the "Veach" move was to trade Hill, why would they not do that with Jones? Hill was way way more valuable to this team, and we are right back here with HFA and a better offense.

That said, I love me some Jones. Hate to see the guy go but in Veach we trust.

There are only 3 types of players that should be off limits for trading. Everyone else is expendable to an extent and for the right price. There are a few unicorns at different positions that come along now and then but for the most part this philosophy should be followed.

1. Elite QB's
2. Elite or borderline elite Pass rushing Dlineman (In their prime)
3. Elite or borderline elite Olineman (Extra emphasis if you have the elite QB)

I'm quite happy with the reload we did with Tyreek. But we don't need to do it again, we have the horses to win the next couple Super Bowls.

Go get the rings.

1. Absolutely. No question. You're not winning shit without one, and it's the hardest position in football to find.

2. Agreed UNLESS-you can replace the production immediately and at less cost, with added ability to add more than just the one guy. If trading Jones meant replacing the production with two or three guys that are plus players, it can make your defense better overall. Every defense ranked above us does not include Chris Jones, for example.

3. Only Left Tackle, in my opinion.

keep!

Yeah sign him, move on.

He’s always talked about as a leader. He’s not going anywhere.

You trade him you need to hit on 4 or 5 different players to replace him. That could go real bad.

I want to keep Jones. But it comes down to whether or not he shows up in the playoffs this year. If he does not show up then I am not sure I want to pay him the kind of money the OP is talking about.

Are you all aware of his postseason stats? He has played in 12 postseason games while producing: 0 sacks, 22 total tackles, 2 TFL, 4 QB hits, 9 PD.

https://www.pro-football-reference.c.../gamelog/post/

He has to do much better than that or it is hard to justify that kind of money.

Who the hell else are we currently paying on that defense? Outside of Justin Reid the entire back 7 is on rookie contracts. Frank Clark is likely to find a new home this offseason unless he's back for an extremely reasonable deal. I have to think all of those moves to make the defense younger and cheaper point towards extending Chris as the plan all along.

Who knows though I admittedly was in the camp that said under no circumstance do you trade Tyreek he is the most explosive player to ever step on an NFL field. That seemed to work out pretty well for us.

He is the best DT in the AFC and arguably the NFL. You keep those players as long as they are effective... CJ is most certainly effective!

Even though he has consistently disappeared in the playoffs and SB?

Gotta keep him. He’s the Mahomes of the defense.

the glaring difference between this situation and the hill situation is that the offense when hill left still had at least one primary consistent option in kelce. it will be far more difficult to replicate the 1 star + depth pieces model on defense because we truly don't have anyone outside of CJ on the line.

idk what veach will do but whatever it is it'll probably be the right call.

Maybe so.

But a Sneed deal is coming up. Gay year after. And we have OBJ/LT to decide on. And no quality RT. And Juju.

We have 33 players under contract for 2023. That's pretty a pretty bare cupboard.