Interesting article here. Not a huge fan of Verderame but he was at the Super Bowl and he does go to the combine. I think he gets some tips, albeit from Terez (who is a nice guy).
Here is the most interesting part of the article. 2021 and 2022 would be extremely difficult to manage.
Originally Posted by :
What the Chiefs can do with their money
Looking at Kansas City’s cap situation, it can release wide receiver Sammy Watkins and linebacker Damien Wilson, clearing out $18.5 million in space. Combined with rollover money and already existing room, that’s enough cash for Veach to tag Jones, re-sign a few other pending free agents and extend Patrick Mahomes.
Speaking of Mahomes, the 24-year-old quarterback is likely to soon be the highest-paid player in the league. This is another important factor to consider.
Let’s play GM for a moment and do the following to the Chiefs’ roster:
•Cut Sammy Watkins
•Cut Damien Wilson
•Cut Cam Erving
Extend Patrick Mahomes on a five-year, $200 million deal
Use franchise tag on Chris Jones
Allow $10 million for free agents and draft picks
Keep $2 million in emergency space
Using the Jared Goff and Carson Wentz extension structures as a template, Mahomes’ cap hit would approximately be $11 million this season. Factor in Jones’ tag and the $12 million outlined above, and Kansas City is laying out $35 million.
The Chiefs could do it. But while it’s palatable for 2020, what about 2021 and beyond?
If Kansas City gave Mahomes the aforementioned extension, his cap number would be enormous in 2021, potentially the full $40 million figure. If the Chiefs also signed Jones to Clark’s exact deal, the cap number would be $22.7 million in 2021.
If we account for a slight rise in the NFL salary cap both this year and next, it’ll be around $210 million. Under these parameters, Kansas City would be looking at the following cap hits in 2021:
Patrick Mahomes ($40M)
Frank Clark ($24.2M)
Chris Jones ($22.7)
Tyrann Mathieu ($19.7M)
Tyreek Hill ($15.7M)
In total, the top five players on the Chiefs would be earning $122.3 million, or 58 percent of the salary cap.
Going into this offseason with a projected $200 million salary cap, only one team is currently allocating more than 50 percent to their top five players: the Los Angeles Rams at 54 percent.
Kansas City can always create cap space with extensions and releases, but tying up such a large chunk of money in five players is dangerous. The Chiefs would be largely unable to sign any other meaningful free agents for a few years — including their own — while being completely reliant on the draft to restock departing talent.
In his three years at the helm, Veach has proven to believe in acquiring top-shelf talent and filling in around them with low-cost, high-upside veteran deals (see: Damien Williams, Stefen Wisniewski, Mike Pennel) and rookie deals.
Jones certainly fits Veach’s profile. The question is if he fits into Kansas City’s payroll.
Originally Posted by Chief Northman:
This is arguably a tougher decision for the Chiefs than most here are willing to admit.
It would be near impossible to replace Jones’ production via draft picks. With the Chiefs draft slot being so low this year, it will be that much more difficult to accrue starting talent to fill roster holes. Jones is arguably the #2 best defensive tackle in the league in his prime right now. Guys like that get paid, and their production is invaluable, and directly leads to wins. I think a trade offer for Jones would have to knock the socks off of Veach for him to just readily let Jones walk.
Honestly, I think Veach may have made the decision last off-season.
I don't see how you can pay Jones and do anything else this off-season.
You can replace Jones' production if it means you can pay two decent players to fill holes in which you are sub-par, plus bring an extra high pick or two to fill for the future. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chris Meck:
Honestly, I think Veach may have made the decision last off-season.
I don't see how you can pay Jones and do anything else this off-season.
You can replace Jones' production if it means you can pay two decent players to fill holes in which you are sub-par, plus bring an extra high pick or two to fill for the future.
Yup. Veach chose Frank Clark who is a top 5 DE in football who had 5 sacks in the postseason and 12 sacks in his last 11 games.
I know folks are pissed, but it’s not like Veach chose to pay someone like Dee Ford or Marcus Peters.
The extra money and draft picks will hopefully make the defense as a whole better. [Reply]
Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19:
I messed around on over the cap for just a bit and extended Jones for 4 yrs/$80M, made some other moves, and had $31M in 2020 space still.
EDIT: the other moves I made were cutting Watkins, LDT, and Erving while extending Kelce and Mathieu for 2 years a piece. Not a lot really that still made keeping Jones much more plausible.
Its always been a theory that you can pay 5 players top money and stay under the cap. But... that was before QB salaries escalated and getting ready to escalate again with Mahomes $40 million. [Reply]
Originally Posted by RunKC:
Yup. Veach chose Frank Clark who is a top 5 DE in football who had 5 sacks in the postseason and 12 sacks in his last 11 games.
I know folks are pissed, but it’s not like Veach chose to pay someone like Dee Ford or Marcus Peters.
The extra money and draft picks will hopefully make the defense as a whole better.
I get that there’s a salary cap, but losing Jones’ production will not make the team better. Having Mahomes you’ll always be good enough to compete but Jones absolutely wrecks opposing defenses. We will miss that if it’s gone. [Reply]
"The Chiefs have some decisions to make on players (Sammy Watkins would be one), but one they’ve already made their mind up on is Chris Jones. One way or another, I expect him to be a Chief in 2020. They’ll try to work out a deal first, and if that doesn’t work, they’ll tag him. One thing that complicates his situation a little is what the Chiefs paid an outside acquisition, Clark, last offseason. You’d think Jones would want at least what Clark got."
According to Albert Breer this morning, the Chiefs have already made up their mind on Jones. He'll either sign a new deal or be tagged, but either way he'll be a Chief next year. [Reply]
Originally Posted by TribalElder:
Go back and watch the second to last niner drive
Those two pass swats by Chris Jones might have saved the Super Bowl
Exactly. Then go back and watch the Tenn game and see what kind of an impact he had in his limited number of snaps. Keep THE guy. Get other JAGS and draft picks around Jones, Clark and Mathieu and keep the "D" on roll. This is an EASY decision for this arm chair GM to make. [Reply]
Originally Posted by O.city:
According to Albert Breer this morning, the Chiefs have already made up their mind on Jones. He'll either sign a new deal or be tagged, but either way he'll be a Chief next year.
Originally Posted by FringeNC: "The Chiefs have some decisions to make on players (Sammy Watkins would be one), but one they’ve already made their mind up on is Chris Jones. One way or another, I expect him to be a Chief in 2020. They’ll try to work out a deal first, and if that doesn’t work, they’ll tag him. One thing that complicates his situation a little is what the Chiefs paid an outside acquisition, Clark, last offseason. You’d think Jones would want at least what Clark got."
Originally Posted by RINGLEADER:
I get that there’s a salary cap, but losing Jones’ production will not make the team better. Having Mahomes you’ll always be good enough to compete but Jones absolutely wrecks opposing defenses. We will miss that if it’s gone.
yeah, well.
We have 2 corners under contract.
We have interior offensive line issues that are a real problem.
We have no LB'ers who can cover.
We have 5 draft picks at the end of each round and hardly any cap room.
If losing Jones means TWO solid starters in key weak spots, then yeah, it can make the team better. Plus the additional draft picks. [Reply]