The Kansas City Chiefs are in a tough spot on defense after failing to finalize a deal with their star defensive tackle in the offseason. So is star defender Chris Jones playing? He has been comfortable taking fines for not joining the team all preseason. Let’s look at the most recent Chris Jones injury updates as we assess whether he will be available in Week 1.
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Chris Jones Holdout Update: Is Kansas City’s Star Playing Thursday?
Chris Jones Holdout Update
The Kansas City Chiefs may not have their star defensive tackle, Chris Jones, for their Week 1 game against the Detroit Lions on Thursday. The Chiefs reportedly offered Jones only $24.7 million. Jones has expressed interest in signing for $28.2 million, which isn’t quite Aaron Donald money, but the Chiefs are yet to meet his demands. As a result, his holdout could continue into Week 1.
The latest Chris Jones holdout update wasn’t good for Kansas City. On Friday, Travis Kelce discussed the situation on New Heights with his brother, Jason Kelce. “Chris, can you please come back? You’re really scaring me, man. I don’t get it,” he said, “Please, we need you. We need you bad.” Later, he added, “Please, we need you. We need you bad. And I don’t know what the situation is.”
Is Chris Jones Playing for Kansas City in Week 1?
As of Saturday, it appears unlikely that Chris Jones will suit up for the Chiefs in Week 1. NFL Insider Tom Pelissero said that there was “virtually no chance” that Jones would play in Week 1. The Chiefs already lost several key pieces in the offseason, including offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. and wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, so this Chiefs team was already set up to look quite different from the one that won the Super Bowl last year.
If Kansas City is without Jones, their pass rush will be at a major disadvantage — which will prove extra dangerous against a solid Detroit offensive line. Per analyst Dov Kleiman, the Chiefs lead the NFL in pressure frequency with Jones on the field over the last five years, but they rank 28th without him. The Chiefs are currently trading as a 6.5-point home favorite for Thursday’s contest.
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