Chiefs' most overpaid player has $44.9 million cap hit in 2026

The Kansas City Chiefs have a lot of money invested in a declining player for the 2026 NFL season.

To be exact: $44.9 million.

That's the cap hit of defensive tackle Chris Jones, who was once one of the best players in baseball but may not fit that title any longer.

Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon, in a new article, has called Jones the most overpaid player on the Chiefs roster.

"The seven-time Pro Bowler is still a stellar pass-rusher, but he is also clearly declining at the age of 31," Gagnon writes. "Jones' approximate value total at Pro Football Reference has dropped significantly in back-to-back campaigns, and only five players in the league have higher cap numbers than his total of $44.9 million for 2026."

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That's actually awful that Jones has a cap hit that's higher than all but five players for the season ahead. That seems like it should be impossible.

But at some point, teams move cap numbers around every season to make things work, and the price has to be paid at some point.

Jones has spent his entire NFL career with the Chiefs after being chosen in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Mississippi State.

Kansas City clearly won't be moving on from Jones in any way. He's one of their team leaders and most trusted players. 

But right now, it's hard for him to come even close to being worth the money he's being paid. And that could cost the Chiefs from a roster-building perspective as Jones' career moves forward.

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