Chiefs' Steve Spagnuolo suggests Chris Jones holdout will impact in-season playtime
Kansas City Chiefs DT Chris Jones' holdout may cost him regular season minutes whether he reports ahead of the start of the season or not. Training camp has come and gone, yet Jones remains in Miami and away from the team as he seeks a long-term contract extension. Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo was asked about Jones missing […]
Kansas City Chiefs DT Chris Jones' holdout may cost him regular season minutes whether he reports ahead of the start of the season or not.
Training camp has come and gone, yet Jones remains in Miami and away from the team as he seeks a long-term contract extension. Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo was asked about Jones missing training camp and how it might impact his readiness for the season. Even as a seventh-year veteran, Spagnuolo feels that Jones still needs some sort of a ramp-up period.
"I don't think Chris (Jones) is any different from any other player that misses the entire camp and then has to play, it's tough," Spagnuolo said. "You certainly can't expect that particular person – as good as Chris is – to play every down. And then, you worry about injuries. Is the body ready? Chris always keeps himself in shape, but football shape is different."
Jones, of course, is a big-time competitor with some big goals for the 2023 NFL season (Defensive Player of The Year). It's hard to achieve those goals when you're not on the field for every possible down, but ultimately it's out of the hands of the coaching staff at this point. They won't feel comfortable putting Jones in harm's way without some level of work under his belt.
As for when Jones might return to Kansas City, things still seem to be up in the air. His teammate Mike Danna provided an optimistic update on the situation.
"I talk to Chris (Jones) probably like once every week," Danna said. "He's a great guy. Got a lot of love for him. He's handling his business off the field right now. . . but he's in good spirits. You know, hopefully, he gets something done soon."
Ultimately, the team will cross the bridge of playing time for Jones when they get there. Right now, they're focused on the players in the building, putting together a good performance in preseason Week 3, and preparing for the Detroit Lions in Week 1.
"So, hopefully, we can get him back," Spagnuolo said of Jones. "When that happens we just have to figure out how to go about it."
Fans can only hope that Jones is staying prepared and the on-field impact is limited.
Injured Chiefs DT Tershawn Wharton returned to practice on Tuesday
This a positive development for the Kansas City Chiefs at a position group that sorely needs it.
Featured image via Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
