Chiefs News: Chris Jones hopes for a few days off from training camp

A year ago, superstar defensive tackle Chris Jones skipped the offseason program, training camp and the opening game of the season because he was negotiating a new contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Ultimately, the two sides agreed to a one-year transitional deal to get Jones back on the field, and in early March he and the team signed a five-year, $159 million contract that included $95 million in guarantees.

Despite missing all of practice last season, Jones was named to the All-Pro first team for the second consecutive season. He will turn 30 before the team opens its 2024 training camp at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph in mid-July — and he’s hoping head coach Andy Reid will allow him to miss some practices under those circumstances.

“Listen, man, I already talked to Andy about skipping training camp. I’m a little older, right?” he told reporters this week during his youth football camp in Overland Park, according to the Kansas City Star“I feel it. I feel it when we have a day in training camp. Then give me two days off and one day of work – and maybe we can work something out, you know?”

It seems Reid is not enthusiastic about the idea.

“He just looked at me,” Jones smiled. “So the conversation isn’t over yet.”

No matter how much time he spends on the practice field at St. Joseph, Jones believes his approach will remain the same.

“The mindset is always the same: be in the best shape possible, (find a way) to interact with the community – but also to better yourself – do one good deed every week,” he said. “I don’t think my mindset has ever changed, year after year (through different contract situations). (It’s) just that I get a little wiser; I get a few more gray hairs.

“And we’ll keep things going.”

Players will begin reporting the week of July 15. We’ll get our first glimpse of training camp on Sunday, July 21. Here’s the full schedule.