The NFL's regular season is over, which for most teams, means it's time to start figuring out plans for the offseason.



NFL free agency is a huge part of the process, and along with the NFL Draft, it has everyone preparing for what should be a very active couple of months.

We've officially come up with our own contract projections for the NFL's top free agents that include context behind each player's 2023 season, the likelihood of a franchise tag, the projection itself, and the first-year cap hit for a team that's “all-in” and is needing to reduce that first-year hit in order to maximize their cap dollars.

So, without further ado, let's check out the projection for Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones.

Chris Jones 2024 Contract Projection

Jones is one of the premier interior defensive linemen in the NFL right now. His 198 quarterback pressures since 2021 is second among his position group to only the incomparable Aaron Donald. With 32 sacks and 35 tackles for loss over that same timeframe, Jones is bringing down passers at a faster clip than many of the league’s premier edge rushers. And Jones’ 17.6 percent pass rush win rate ranks fourth in the NFL this year.

Jones will be 30 in 2024 and is coming off an offseason where he attempted to hold out for a new deal with Kansas City. His attempt was largely unsuccessful as he was only able to secure $6.75 million in incentives rather than the extension and guaranteed pay raise he was seeking. Still, Jones is a force multiplier at a premium position where most players are not capable of rushing the passer consistently. With the recent extensions of Daron Payne, Jeffery Simmons and Dexter Lawrence all clearing $22.5 million APY, Jones is now set up to give himself a substantial raise over the $20 million/year he was earning on his last deal.

Jones will likely be looking to come within the ballpark of Donald’s record-setting $31,667,666 APY deal, which currently sits 32 percent higher than the next closest deal. He won’t get it. But look for him to nestle his next contract right in between those two at around $27.5 million per year.

• Franchise Tag Likelihood: Low
• 4 years, $110 million, $27.5 million APY, $65 million fully GTD
• Year One Cap Hit: $13 million

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Be sure to check back in and around the site for more projections, as we will add more in the coming days and weeks.