Chris Jones will not need to wait as long to make money this year.
The Kansas City Chiefs’ standout defensive tackle will be one of the main attractions when free agency begins next week, and he could surpass Aaron Donald’s three-year, $96 million contract that made Donald the highest-paid defensive tackle in the league.
Teams can start discussing contracts on Monday and can officially sign players starting Wednesday.
Jones held out last year due to a contract dispute, resulting in a restructure of his final year of the contract.
While the Chiefs could have used the franchise tag on Jones, they instead utilized it on cornerback L’Jarius Sneed for $19.8 million.
These are the top priorities for Chiefs GM Brett Veach, who has been instrumental in the NFL's recent dynasty with three Super Bowl wins since 2020.
“We would like to … pay all the guys, and it's difficult because the more you win, the more you have to pay players. When you have this level of success, you end up paying a lot of players a significant amount of money,” Veach said.
“Hopefully, we'll be able to find a solution, but every free agent is different, unique, and complex. Our objective is to sign both of those players and then address the rest of our roster.”
The 31 other teams aiming to dethrone the Chiefs will start filling gaps with experienced players next week.
The team that made the most noise in free agency last year will not make a big splash this year.
The Denver Broncos signed 14 veterans to contracts totaling a substantial $242,647,500, which was just slightly more than the $242,588,236 contract extension Russell Wilson signed less than a year before.
Now, the Broncos are moving on from Wilson, a decision that leaves them with a record $85 million in dead cap charges, limiting their ability to make another significant spending spree despite the historic spike in the salary cap.
“We can't do that every year,” said Broncos general manager George Paton, who began slimming down the roster by releasing star safety Justin Simmons to save $14.5 million.
One truth about free agency is that it’s usually less risky to re-sign your own free agents than to acquire players discarded by other teams, regardless of their status.
Considering this, here’s a free agent from each team that front offices want to prevent from leaving:
ARIZONA CARDINALS
WR Marquise Brown has experienced ups and downs in Arizona but has shown potential when he and Kyler Murray are both healthy.
ATLANTA FALCONS
EDGE Calais Campbell. He's valued more for his leadership at age 37, although he did record 6 1/2 sacks last season.
BALTIMORE RAVENS
DL Justin Madubuike led all defensive tackles with 13 sacks and 33 QB hits. Baltimore placed a $22.1 million franchise tag on him.
BUFFALO BILLS
EDGE A.J. Epenesa is a steady, improving player on a team that suffered significant player cuts this week.
CAROLINA PANTHERS
EDGE Brian Burns, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, was given the franchise tag worth $24 million.
CHICAGO BEARS
Second-team All-Pro CB Jaylon Johnson received the franchise tag, which will pay him $19.8 million in 2024.
CINCINNATI BENGALS
The franchise tag for WR Tee Higgins will pay him just under $22 million next season.
CLEVELAND BROWNS
In the NFL, Joe Flacco is the most valuable backup QB, and Deshaun Watson is recovering from shoulder surgery.
DALLAS COWBOYS
Despite being 33 and frequently injured, LT Tyron Smith only allowed one sack in ‘23 and is still the NFL’s top pass-blocking tackle.
DENVER BRONCOS
C Lloyd Cushenberry III is one of the NFL’s best, but Luke Wattenberg or Alex Forsyth could replace him if he leaves Denver.
DETROIT LIONS
G Graham Glasgow had a resurgence in 2023 after returning to Detroit from a three-year stint in Denver.
GREEN BAY PACKERS
KR-CB Keisean Nixon was an All-Pro kick returner for the past two seasons and won't have to prove himself on one-year deals anymore.
HOUSTON TEXANS
As the Texans returned to relevance, EDGE Jonathan Greenard collected 12½ sacks last season.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
WR Michael Pittman, coming off his first 100-catch season, received the franchise tag worth $21.8 million in ‘24.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
EDGE Josh Allen, who set a franchise record with 17½ sacks last season, received the $24 million franchise tag.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
DT Chris Jones and CB L’Jarius Sneed are both mentioned here, as the Chiefs are the team of the 2020s.
LOS ANGELES RAMS
OG Kevin Dotson transformed from an afterthought in Pittsburgh to the NFL’s best run-blocking guard in 2023.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
K Cameron Dicker has made 52 of 55 career FG attempts and excelled in his Pro Bowl campaign video.
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
C Andre James will see another significant salary increase after his pay rose from $505,000 in ‘19 to $6.5 million in ’23.
MIAMI DOLPHINS
Five-year pro DT Christian Wilkins had a breakout 2023 season with a career-best nine sacks.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Even at 36 in ‘24 and with a repaired Achilles, QB Kirk Cousins' departure would have a big impact on the Vikings and the NFL QB market.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Safety Kyle Dugger received the Patriots’ transition tag, which will pay him $13.8 million in 2024.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Jameis Winston provides a spark whenever he fills in for starter Derek Carr, similar to Flacco's role with Watson out.
NEW YORK GIANTS
FS Xavier McKinney had three interceptions and did not allow a single TD catch in 2023, solidifying his top-flight status.
NEW YORK JETS
EDGE Bryce Huff had a standout 2023 with a career-high 10 sacks and a growing reputation.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
RB D’Andre Swift achieved his first 1,000-yard season and made the Pro Bowl in ‘23 after three years in Detroit.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
QB Mason Rudolph excelled as a substitute for Kenny Pickett in ‘23 and could provide similar support for a new QB in ’24.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
10th-year pro DT Leonard Williams has 43½ career sacks and averages 19.2 QB hits per year.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
EDGE Chase Young, the 2020’s second overall pick, showed flashes of greatness after his ‘23 trade from Washington.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
QB Baker Mayfield had a breakout year, setting career highs in accuracy (64.3%), yards (4,044) and TDs (28) last season.
TENNESSEE TITANS
RB Derrick Henry, 30, was the second-best rusher in the NFL in '23 with 1,167 yards and 12 touchdowns, but looks likely to depart.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
CB Kendall Fuller was the lone positive aspect of Washington's terrible defense in '23 and is expected to do very well under Dan Quinn.