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Cross one name off the list.
Chris Jones will be franchised by the Kansas City Chiefs according to Ian Rapoport.
The #Chiefs are going to franchise tag star DL Chris Jones, sources say. Not a surprise, but Kansas City views him in their long-term plans and hopes to get a deal done at some point. The window opens officially today.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 27, 2020
Jones is one of the most dynamic defensive linemen in the NFL, and would have been one of the most sought after free agents in NFL history had he hit the market.
Now, the Chiefs control his rights and will be able to extend negotiations with the talented lineman through the offseason in hopes of securing a long-term deal.
It weakens the free agent market a bit, as Jones was without a doubt the best interior defensive lineman on the market, and at only 26 years old he is just entering the prime of his career.
With one checked off the list the top interior defensive linemen available according to PFF:
Arik Armstead
D.J. Reader
Javon Hargrave
Leonard Williams
Michael Pierce
Mike Daniels
Shelby Harris
Jarran Reed
This is a great class still, but it definitely lost the best of the bunch.
Congrats on getting the bag Chris Jones, hopefully you get the full thing.