You are probably over valuing Jones trade value. Most analyst say that he is not viewed to be worth what Buckner was or even close becuase Buckner was a higher pick that is a better all around player that does not have motivational issues.
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but you got to field 53 good horses to win the race.

If we have half our cap tied up in 5 guys, it ain't gonna be pretty.

Football, especially at the NFL level is the ultimate team sport. That's what I love so much about it.

Love to keep him, have serious concerns about our ability to field a solid and deep talented roster if we do.
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Exactly
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sometimes letting a star go in order to obtain two or three merely good players makes the team better.

It's painful. But it's true.
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Look at what the Patriots did for the last 20 years in order to get to 9 Super bowls and win 6.

They were absolutely brutal about where they spent their money and where they let guys walk.

You want to win 6 or 7 Superbowls?

Get used to it.

You field a good defense, and you protect Patrick while giving him some weapons.

Sometimes two or three good players are more valuable than one great one.

Anywhere but QB, this is true.
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Jones should not get Aaron Donald money. Just no way.

Guys like Donald, Mack, even Clark or Buckner, they are all around players who are very good in every single phase. I’m not saying that Chris is a bad run defender, I just don’t know that I’d classify him as good either. He’s solid there.
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That's the headache the Dolphins GM is probably faced with if indeed he is after Jones and is also sold on Tua. How much draft capital do we need to keep in the bank? Pretty hypothetical scenario but who knows.
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And I keep picturing in my head, if we have all of that money tied up into 5-6 players, what happens if even just one goes down to injury and isn’t available for the playoffs? It’d make a huge difference that the other guys around them will likely struggle to make up for remotely.

Chris Jones at $1.5m AAV was an incredible steal and we couldn’t have won the SB without him. Chris Jones at $21m+ AAV is no longer a steal and we may not be able to field a good enough all around team with him.
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https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2020/...-sammy-watkins

The first deal for Watkins in this article, plus a trade of Jones for picks could set us up pretty well for this year, next year, and the future as well.
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Man, if you're trying to rebuild a team and could come out of the first round with a bonafide franchise QB prospect and a proven NFL defensive line stud, I think you'd feel pretty fucking good about that. I mean really. You could do so, so much worse.
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I might be biased, but I'd rather have Jones than Mack, Clark, or Buckner. I think a lot of people would, which is why I can perfectly understand how Jones thinks he can achieve Donald money
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You could make the case for several guys on "we wouldn't have won the Super Bowl without him" argument.

First and foremost is Mahomes. Dude only needs 4 or 5 minutes out of a 60 minute game to get it done. Same as the all-time greats at QB. Fortunately, he plays for us.
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that's a more succinct way of saying what I've been trying to say.
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you ARE biased. Definitely.

You're a fan, of course you are. So am I.

I love Jonesy. I love that smile, and that swagger.

But reality is reality.

You re-up Jonesy and you've got $40 plus in half of your defensive line. Hill getting a ton. Watkins, who should be cut or traded or reworked immediately. Badger. Mahomes about to get paid.

You're going to have half of your available cap in 5 guys.

You just can't do that and field a championship roster.
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I completely disagree.

Guys like Jones help make the guys around him better directly and indirectly.

Opposing offenses are forced to double team Jones and still lose the battle. That means other players only have to beat a single block to eat. It also forces the QB to need to move to avoid pressure (often immediate pressure) and that makes the job of the DEs easier. He also helps the CBs because the QB is often throwing off balance and rushed.

The truth is, Unicorns like CJ make good players out of average players around them through their impact.
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