Lions Selected as “Superstar” DE’s Landing Spot; $140M Deal Expected
Edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson is a rising star for the Detroit Lions, but they had trouble last season finding a reliable pass rusher other than the second-year standout.
That might alter this offseason, as Chris Jones, the defensive end for the Kansas City Chiefs, is a free agent and the Lions are considered one of his top landing spots. Jones returned to the Chiefs last season on a one-year contract after inking a $80-million contract in 2020, and he helped the team win the Super Bowl for the second time in a row.
According to Alex Kay of Bleacher Report, Jones might play for the Lions the following season if they are prepared to meet his high asking price.
Chris Jones: The Last Man Standing in Detroit
Kay reported that despite blowing a 17-point lead against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game, the Lions were unable to advance to the Super Bowl. The team’s defensive shortcomings were made clear by the game, and Kay claimed that Jones, the “superstar,” could help with that.
Jones would undoubtedly have a significant impact on Detroit’s capacity to pressure opposing quarterbacks and stop the run, Kay wrote, “even though his services will be expensive.” “The five-time Pro Bowler would be a great complement to Aidan Hutchinson, the No. 2 overall pick in 2022, who has had a fantastic start to the season with 21 sacks in his first two seasons.”
After signing safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and cornerback Emmanuel Moseley in the offseason with the intention of making significant additions to their secondary, the Lions were forced to watch both players suffer from chronic injuries. Although the Lions made progress in strengthening their defense, Kay pointed out that they still placed last in the league in terms of both total and scoring defense.
Although adding Jones would significantly improve their pass rush, Kay noted that the cost would also be high.
Chris Jones Is About to Sign a Huge Deal
Even though the Lions are anticipated to have $48 million in cap space, Jones would require a significant financial commitment. Based on his projections, Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News projected that Jones would sign a four-year, $140 million contract with at least $100 million in guaranteed money, and Kay predicted that the five-time Pro Bowler might be in the running for the largest total contract and most guaranteed dollars for a defensive player in league history.
The Chiefs, who are still thought to be a strong contender for Jones, would also need to be persuaded to let go by the Lions. With 10.5 sacks and 30 total tackles in 16 games this season, the 29-year-old is coming off one of his best seasons ever. He was named to the first team of the Pro Bowl for the second time in his career.
General manager Brad Holmes cautioned that the Lions were not planning to go all-in for a shot at a Super Bowl, even though the team might be in a position to make a sizable investment.
During the team’s season-ending press conference, Holmes stated, “I don’t want anybody to think that this was a one-shot, Cinderella, magical journey that just happened,” as reported by The Associated Press. “No, it’s true. This is precisely what was intended to occur.
“I know you’re going through a season like this, and I know that based on history and past events, it’s easy to feel like this was a one-time, lucky, magical, cute story—a narrative I’m sick of hearing. None of that applied.
