Jones is coming off his first two consecutive double-digit sack seasons. In 2022, he tied his career highs with 15.5 sacks and 29 quarterback hits. Then in 2023, he recorded 10.5 sacks and 29 quarterback hits again.
He was named first-team All-Pro in each of the last two seasons. Jones has also been a Pro Bowler for five straight years.
According to Spotrac, Jones has earned approximately $90.2 million in total over his NFL career. This summer, Spotrac projected him to be worth approximately $85.4 million on a three-year contract.
Why signing Chris Jones would make sense for the Detroit Lions.
Every team in the league would probably want to have Jones.
Jones will turn 30 in July, but he has improved with age. Since 2018, he’s had 67 sacks, 68 tackles for loss, and 152 quarterback hits in 91 games. He also has 26 pass defences and 8 forced fumbles during that time.
The Lions’ defensive line already includes Aidan Hutchinson and Alim McNeill. Both are becoming talents, particularly Hutchinson, who recorded double-digit sacks for the first time in 2023.
Hutchinson and McNeill were the only Lions defenders to record more than three sacks last season. Detroit could use an additional pass rusher.
Jones, an excellent defensive lineman, has the potential to elevate the Lions defence to the championship level that the Detroit offence has achieved over the last two seasons.
Last year, the Lions tied for 23rd in the NFL in sacks. They were 27th in pass defence and 29th in net yards allowed per pass attempt.
Signing Jones might help the Lions greatly in all of those statistical categories.
Will Jones Be Available in the NFL Free Agency?
However, before the Lions can sign Jones, they must first determine whether he is available.
The Kansas City Chiefs may re-sign Jones before the start of free agency. Another option was to apply the franchise tag to Jones. However, on February 28, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz claimed that the Chiefs applied the tag to cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. Each NFL team can only apply the franchise tag to one player each offseason.
On February 28, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Chiefs have granted Sneed permission to seek a trade.
Ironically, the Lions have been considered as a possible trading partner for Sneed. However, if the Chiefs do not move Sneed, Kansas City’s chances of keeping Jones decrease due to the huge salaries each player is expected to want this offseason.
If Sneed is franchised for the 2024 season, he will have a $19.8 million cap hit.
If Jones becomes a free agent, he is likely to be in high demand. Jones is regarded as the top possible free agent for the 2024 offseason by Pro Football Focus. Jones was also ranked first among free agents by NFL.com and The Sporting News.
Such a free agent will not come cheap. However, Jones is expected to have a significant impact on any side he plays for in 2024.
Leave a Reply