Denver Broncos could avoid Chiefs best defensive player in 2023

The Kansas City Chiefs are going for back-to-back titles this season but their start may have hit a snag and that could benefit the Denver Broncos.

The two AFC West foes will meet twice in the first half of the season playing in Week 6 and then in Week 8. Those games may lack the Chiefs’ best defensive player, Chris Jones, who is currently in a contract holdout. Jones has one year left on his contract and already accumulated more than $1 million in fines by missing all of training camp ($50,000 per day, per the CBA.) With his base salary just under $20 million, Jones would forfeit $1,083,333 per game.

Jones is an eighth-year defensive tackle, originally the 37th pick in the 2016 draft. He led K.C. in sacks with 15.5 sacks for the fifth-consecutive season last year. Jones’ 65 sacks since 2016 are second-most among defensive tackles since he entered the league which has earned him four-straight Pro Bowl appearances and four All-Pro Seasons.

Jones wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday that he’d sit out to Week 8.

Kansas City’s Chris Jones answers the question of “when ya gonna show up” with, “Week 8.” That is the week of the second Broncos-Chiefs game — the one that will take place in Denver. The teams also play in Week 6 on Thursday Night Football at Arrowhead Stadium. pic.twitter.com/sl0oTQSoeK

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) August 22, 2023

Jones had a staring role in the 2022 AFC Championship Game against the Cincinnati Bengals, where he sacked Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow twice. The Broncos have added former Jones teammate Frank Clark to boost their offensive line.

One of Denver’s goals this season is ending the 15-game losing streak to the Chiefs and without Jones, the Broncos should have a better chance. If Jones stays true to his word and he means through Week 8 or the team needs to work him back into shape, then there’s a real chance Kansas City’s best non-Patrick Mahomes does not impact either showdown with the Broncos in 2023.

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