Under new 5-year deal, Chris Jones will have a 2024 cap hit of just $7.4 million

Kansas City general manager Brett Veach and his staff have crafted another terrific contract for a star player.

On Sunday night, Pro Football Talk released the details of the five-year contract the Kansas City Chiefs have signed with All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones.

The five-year deal totals $158.8 million — an average of $31.8 million per year average annual value (AAV), which makes it the richest-ever contract for an NFL defensive tackle. (Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald is earning $31.7 million AAV under the three-year contract he signed in 2022).

$60 million of that money is fully guaranteed at signing. Half of that comes from a $30 million signing bonus, which is pro-rated over the life of the contract ($6 million in cap hit each season). Also guaranteed are Jones’ base salaries for 2024 ($1.3 million) and 2025 ($13.7 million), plus a $15 million roster bonus in 2025.

Every year of this contract also carries a $100,000 workout bonus. This means that the 2024 cap hit for this enormous contract will be just $7.4 million.

The original reports said that $95 million of the contract was “practically guaranteed.” The additional $35 million comes from a $16 million base salary and a $19 million roster bonus in 2026. Both of those amounts were guaranteed for injury at signing — and will become fully guaranteed one year from now (on the third day of the 2025 league year) if Jones is still on the Chiefs’ roster.

That third day of the league year is important in every season of this deal. If Jones remains on the roster on the third day of the 2027 league year, $3 million of his $28.3 million base salary will become fully guaranteed. One year after that, the same thing happens: $3 million of his $35 million 2028 base salary will become fully guaranteed.

In 2025, Jones’ cap hit will be $34.9 million. In 2026, it will be $41.1 million. But if the Chiefs choose to release Jones after the 2026 season, they will be on the hook for just $6 million in pro-rated signing bonus for both 2027 and 2028. That would give the team just $12 million in cap obligations for two contract years that were originally set to pay Jones another $63.5 million.

And who knows? Maybe Jones will still be going strong after three seasons — and will play out the deal. But if he isn’t going strong, the Chiefs will have paid him $95.3 million for three seasons: the original $95 million guarantee, plus three $100,000 workout bonuses.

Kansas City general manager Brett Veach and his staff have crafted another masterpiece. It gives Jones what he has always wanted — top-of-the-market money — along with three full years of security. But after those three seasons, the Chiefs’ cap commitments will be small enough that if it’s necessary, they can walk away from the contract.

Now with 60 players under contract, we estimate that Kansas City has $734,000 in cap space. If cornerback L’Jarius Sneed is traded to another team (as expected), the $19.8 million cap hit for his franchise contract tender will be added back to the team’s cap space — less the $795,000 contract that will then be among the 51st highest cap hits — giving the team $19.7 million in space.