Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo sounds off on challenges without Chris Jones

[Realbaddog]

Good read, didn't want it to get lost in the "Chris Jones mega thread......

Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo sounds off on challenges without Chris Jones
Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo admitted that the team will need some time to figure out a plan without Chris Jones.

Aug 28, 2023 at 8:43 AM CDT
Chiefs, Chris Jones, Steve Spagnuolo
What do the Kansas City Chiefs do if Chris Jones continues his holdout? Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has had to ask that question for a while now but an answer will be due soon. Their season opener against the Detroit Lions is now less than two weeks away.

Jones has been second only to Patrick Mahomes as the Chiefs' most valuable player in recent memory. The anchor to the defense and one of the very best players on his side of the ball, the 29-year-old lineman wants to be paid like one. He and the franchise have yet to strike a deal.

Spagnuolo admitted that the Chiefs will need some time to figure out a plan without Jones, according to Adam Teicher of ESPN. He said that continuity is key but that this year's team may not have that luxury without one of the keystones in the trenches and four-time Pro Bowler.

For the inside story on the 7 players banned from the NFL, listen below:

“You’re always looking for continuity and continuity comes with reps and being around each other and together,” Spagnuolo said, via ESPN. “We haven’t had that. [There are] a lot of moving pieces right now…Sometimes it takes the first quarter of the season to figure out who you are and what you have. Along the way you hope you’re winning games but it might take us a little while to figure all of that out.”

Jones recently teased that he would return for the Chiefs in Week 8. Exacerbating the Chiefs' concerns over what they would have to do without Jones is the fact that Charles Omenihu, a defensive lineman they signed in free agency, will be suspended for the first six games of the season.

By the point of Jones' alleged return, the Chiefs will have already faced a high-powered Lions offense; Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars; Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets; Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson and the Minnesota Vikings; and Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Chiefs will be leaning more heavily on 2022 first-round pick George Karlaftis and 2023 first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah to pressure quarterbacks until Chris Jones is back in the lineup.

Link:https://clutchpoints.com/chiefs-news...topic%2Fsports

[AdolfOliverBush]

Jones has been second only to Patrick Mahomes as the Chiefs' most valuable player in recent memory.

False, that would be Kelce.

[Eleazar]

Thanks for not burying this in a mega thread. Megathreads suck

[Dunerdr]

I like Steve and Chris. I hope they can reconcile.

[Megatron96]

Without CJ the defense probably isn't going to play at a top-10 level. It might not even be a top-15 unit.

[TwistedChief]

Originally Posted by Megatron96

Without CJ the defense probably isn't going to play at a top-10 level. It might not even be a top-15 unit.

I don’t think it’s obvious the Chiefs are a top-10 defense even with CJ. They barely were in DVOA down the stretch last year when he was playing at a high level.

Without him I definitely think it’s a below average defense.

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by TwistedChief

I don’t think it’s obvious the Chiefs are a top-10 defense even with CJ. They barely were in DVOA down the stretch last year when he was playing at a high level.

Without him I definitely think it’s a below average defense.

Last season the defense finished around 11th overall, iirc. With 5 rookies starting/playing significant snaps. So there was an assumption by many league analysts that they would probably break into the top-10 this season, with the consideration that most of the key starters would be returning.

Personally, I was looking forward to seeing how early they'd gel this season, and had high hopes for a unit that placed in the top-10, maybe even the top-7.

Without Jones, who accounted for 25% of the QB pressures on his own, and is the only DL that demands a double-team, I'm now concerned that our DL won't be able t consistently generate anything close to the same kind of pressure, which is a problem, considering that Spags' defense is predicated on generating pressure from the DL.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Originally Posted by Megatron96

Last season the defense finished around 11th overall, iirc. With 5 rookies starting/playing significant snaps. So there was an assumption by many league analysts that they would probably break into the top-10 this season, with the consideration that most of the key starters would be returning.

Personally, I was looking forward to seeing how early they'd gel this season, and had high hopes for a unit that placed in the top-10, maybe even the top-7.

Without Jones, who accounted for 25% of the QB pressures on his own, and is the only DL that demands a double-team, I'm now concerned that our DL won't be able t consistently generate anything close to the same kind of pressure, which is a problem, considering that Spags' defense is predicated on generating pressure from the DL.

We'll be fine , Spags loves blitz packages sending LBs,Safetys and corners

[Eleazar]

We have this great young secondary but without our best player in the front 7 its hard to see how they can improve on last season.

[ToxSocks]

That first quarter/half of the season is gonna be rough while the DLine figures it out.

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

That first quarter/half of the season is gonna be rough while the DLine figures it out.

If Jones is stupid enough to sit until week 8, we're gonna have to blitz like krazy... serious boom or bust defense

[CoMoChief]

Originally Posted by Megatron96

Without CJ the defense probably isn't going to play at a top-10 level. It might not even be a top-15 unit.

Chiefs wouldn't have a pass rush wortha shit. The def would be in the 20's.

[FloridaMan88]

Andy needs to take the approach on offense that the Chiefs will need to score 30+ to win... especially during the first six games without Omenihu.

Going for it more aggressively on 4th downs... whatever it takes.

[AdolfOliverBush]

In 2018 the defense was dog shit (with Jones), and a first-year Mahomes was one Dee Ford away from going to the Super Bowl anyway.

When Tyreek left, it forced Mahomes to be more patient, more surgical, and to spread the ball around more.

If Jones leaves, it just might weaken the defense enough that Reid and Mahomes have to go nuclear more often. Can Mahomes do that without Hill? I say yes, until it's proven he can't.

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by KCChiefsFan88

Andy needs to take the approach on offense that the Chiefs will need to score 30+ to win... especially during the first six games without Omenihu.

Going for it more aggressively on 4th downs... whatever it takes.

^ gonna have to gamble a lil bit, no way around it