Chris Jones' new deal is first step toward Chiefs three-peat

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — For as much as the Kansas City Chiefs might talk about trying to win a third straight Super Bowl, it would have been hard to do if they allowed defensive tackle Chris Jones to leave as a free agent.

The Chiefs’ efforts to three-peat, something no NFL team has ever done, are off to a good start before the league year has even started. By agreeing to contract terms with Jones, the Chiefs have again shown they will do what it takes to keep their elite players in Kansas City.

That’s particularly true for Jones, who is on the Mount Rushmore for this era of Chiefs football, joining Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Andy Reid. He has 67 sacks over the past six seasons, mostly as a defensive tackle, but his value to the Chiefs can’t be accurately measured by stats.

It’s the things he does that won’t show up in the box score, like his pressure on San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy that forced an errant throw on third down and prompted the 49ers to kick a field goal on their final possession in Super Bowl LVIII, that are his true gift.

Now that Jones has a new deal, the Chiefs can get on to other priorities between now and the draft:

The Chiefs made Sneed their franchise player last week at a cost of almost $20 million against their salary cap. That’s a heavy burden for the Chiefs given everything else they want to accomplish. But the Chiefs didn’t want to lose Sneed, at least not without trading him and getting a draft pick or two in return.

Trading Sneed might be the Chiefs’ best path forward. A deal would allow them to regain some valuable salary cap space. The prime time to trade him, as they did with wide receiver Tyreek Hill two years ago, is before the draft.

Rebuild at wide receiver

From last year’s receivers group, it appears only Rashee Rice and Justin Watson are guaranteed to have jobs with the Chiefs again next season. Marquez Valdes-Scantling is gone, Mecole Hardman and Richie James are free agents, and Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore and Justyn Ross were so disappointing last season that their futures in Kansas City should be in doubt.

The Chiefs don’t have the resources for a near-total makeover in free agency, but they need help from at least one veteran before the draft.

Shrink their list of remaining free agents

The Chiefs re-signed one of their other priority free agents, linebacker Drue Tranquill, last week. But other defensive regulars, such as linemen Mike Danna, Tershawn Wharton and Derrick Nnadi and linebacker Willie Gay, are free agents. The Chiefs would have a lot of work to do on their defensive line if Danna, Wharton and Nnadi leave.