Report: Chris Jones contract talks with Chiefs have stalled

The Kansas City Chiefs appear to be struggling to agree to terms with franchise tagged defensive lineman Chris Jones, but it doesn’t appear to be either side’s fault.

According to James Palmer of NFL Network, the Chiefs and Jones have little traction in talks right now, as the organization is lacking clarity on what the future salary cap may look like.

I’m told there hasn’t been much traction at all toward a new contract between the #chiefs and Chris Jones. They do want him back long term, but COVID's played a big part with teams not knowing what the cap will be in 2021. Some clarity from the league before July 15th could help

— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) June 26, 2020

This is a problem that all teams will face, but it’s particularly relevant for the Chiefs. They have a long-term and likely record-setting deal to get done with Patrick Mahomes, and they need to keep that in mind when negotiating deals for other players as well.

Jones collected nine sacks for the Chiefs last year, and the 25-year-old has become one of Kansas City’s most important defensive players. He has yet to sign his franchise tender, and based on the signals he was sending before being tagged, that shouldn’t come as a big surprise. It does not appear to have eliminated his interest in a long-term deal, but the Chiefs clearly need to figure some things out first.