It isn’t very often you see the best player on an NFL defense admit that he took the year off, but that’s exactly what pass rusher Chris Jones did just before the Super Bowl, according to Nate Taylor of ESPN.
"Took a year off," Jones wrote Sunday on his X account, referencing the Chiefs' absence. "We will be back to it next year!"
His comment was facetious, of course, but it was also telling. Jones’ hustle and his ability to finish plays was called into question in 2025, especially in the Chiefs’ pivotal loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, when he failed to close out a huge goal-line touchdown run by quarterback Trevor Lawrence that might have cost the Chiefs the game.
But Jones’ comment underscored the need for the Chiefs to improve their problematic pass rush. They finished sixth in the league in points allowed at 19.3, according to Taylor, but Jones and his teammates recorded just 21 sacks and struggled to generate pressure.
Jones was the lone lineman who could impact the quarterback on his own, but he faced a constant array of double-teams. He would up leading the Chiefs with seven sacks, 12 tackles for a loss and two pass deflections, but those numbers pale with Jones’ production in prior seasons.
"He's developed into a great leader," said defensive line coach Joe Cullen back in October. "In the meeting rooms, he's explaining to guys things I may be [going over], saying, 'Hey Coach, can I give a point here?' After practice, he's working with the guys and coaching them up."
This sounds problematic given Jones’ struggles this year, but he does need help, and Taylor mentioned some possibilities the Chiefs will look at closely in free agency. One is Boye Mafe of the Seattle Seahawks, and sources told Adam Schefter that the Chiefs were interested in acquiring Mafe before the 2025 trade deadline.
Other free agent possibilities include Jaelen Phillips of the Philadelphia Eagles, defensive tackle Jon Franklin-Myers of the rival Denver Broncos and defensive end Kwity Paye of the Indianapolis Colts. Draft possibilities include defensive ends Rueben Bain Jr. of Miami or David Bailey of Texas Tech.
Another key stat Taylor mentioned was about the Chiefs’ inability to get off the field. They allowed third-down conversions at a rate of 44 percent, which was 29th in the NFL. Simply put, opposing offenses knew they could double-team Jones and not worry about losing another matchup in the trenches.