ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — The Chiefs have just six training camp practices remaining, yet head coach Andy Reid still doesn’t know when Pro Bowl defensive tackle Chris Jones will end his holdout and report for work.
“I don’t know when he’ll be here,” Reid said after practice Monday. “But I tell you any work that he can get will help him, yes. It’s a pretty fast game.”
The Jones holdout entered its 17th day Monday. Jones faces a mandatory $50,000 fine for each day of training camp missed, which to date totals $850,000 in fines. He’s scheduled to earn $19.5 million in base salary this season, however, in the final year of a four-year extension signed in 2020. He’s also seeking a contract that would make him the second-highest-paid defensive tackle in the league worth more than $25 million per season.
In addition to the daily fines, players are subject to a fine equal to one week’s salary for each preseason game missed. If Jones doesn’t report before Sunday’s preseason opener against New Orleans, he would be docked approximately $1.1 million based on his $19.5 million base salary this season..
General manager Brett Veach remains hopeful the standoff can get resolved soon.
“When it gets done, I can’t answer that,” Veach told ESPN’s Adam Teicher. “There’s no thought or mindset to trade or anything like that. Our intention is to get something done. We aren’t there yet. The first game isn’t until Sept. 7 so that’s a positive for us. Chris has played in this scheme now for a few years and he does a great job of staying in shape.”
While Jones hasn’t reported to camp in St. Joseph yet, he wasn’t quiet on social media. He posted an Instagram story Monday morning of a new television starring teammate Travis Kelce and himself for DirecTV.
“When (Kelce) asked me to help him out, I couldn’t refuse,” Jones posted in the advertisement. “Stop compromising, and start watching football with @DIRECTV so I can get back to tackling people.”
