Chiefs GM: Chris Jones, L’Jarius Sneed Contracts at ‘Top of the List’ of Priorities

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The Kansas City Chiefs have every intention of retaining defensive tackle Chris Jones and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed this offseason as they hope to three-peat as Super Bowl champions.

Chiefs general manager Brett Veach told reporters Tuesday that new contracts for Jones and Sneed are “at the top of the list” of priorities for the franchise ahead of the 2024 campaign.

“I love Chris,” Veach added. “Tried really hard to get something done, and we didn’t, but when we got together right after that Detroit game, we had a great talk. Both parties, I think, want to be here, so we’ll get to work. That’s certainly a guy we want back and love and want to see him finish his career here in Kansas City.”

Both Jones and Sneed are staples in the Kansas City defense, and losing either player would be tough for the Chiefs.

It’s no secret Jones is seeking a longterm contract extension—He has been since before the 2023 campaign.

The five-time Pro Bowler sat out the first game of the 2023 season due to a contract dispute and after the Chiefs lost to the Detroit Lions in their season-opener, the franchise agreed to a one-year deal with Jones to get him to return to the lineup.

Jones went on to put together another impressive season with the Chiefs, posting 10.5 sacks, four pass breakups, 30 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 29 quarterback hits in 16 games en route to Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro selections.

The 29-year-old also played a critical role in Kansas City’s Super Bowl run, posting 0.5 sacks, two pass breakups, one forced fumble, eight tackles and six quarterback hits in six games.

Sneed is also coming off a solid 2023 season in which he posted two interceptions, 14 pass breakups, one fumble recovery, 78 tackles, five tackles for loss and three quarterback hits in 16 games.

The 27-year-old was also impressive in the playoffs, posting three pass breakups, one forced fumble and 17 tackles in four games.

The Chiefs can franchise tag either player this offseason—The number for defensive tackles is $22.1 million and the number for cornerbacks is $19.8 million.

Putting the franchise tag on a player comes with the risk that the player might hold out, but Veach said Tuesday that he hopes to sign both players to deals.

“We do have one tag and I anticipate probably using it to help us, but I think our goal is to get both of those players done,” he said.

However, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Tuesday that the Chiefs informed Sneed “they are prepared to use the franchise tag and are open to consummate a trade off it if no long-term deal is reached.”

Fowler added that Sneed “is agreeable to the scenario, giving him chance to talk with other teams while K.C. remains in play.”

Working in Kansas City’s favor is the fact that the 2024 salary cap has been set at a record-breaking $255.4 million, up $30 million from 2023. That gives the team a little more wiggle room to work out some deals.