Raiders: Chris Jones should be at the top of the free agent wish list

Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones is a force in the interior and should be at the top of the Las Vegas Raiders free agent wish list.

The Raiders defensive line was historically bad in 2018 and while there were big strides made in 2019, it was obvious that a few impact players are vital if this unit is to take a leap in 2020. Ideally the Raiders could build out a defensive core on the cheap in the draft but with some major holes at wide receiver and a wealth of salary cap room, they can afford to splash some cash in the free agent market on defense.

At the top of that spending list in free agency should be Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones. Jones is a monster at 6’6”, 310 pounds and has speed and agility usually seen in a much smaller man. Jones and 6’8” offensive tackle could probably do some major damage on punt or field goal blocks like Langston Walker used to in the early 2000s.

Besides blocking kicks and punts, Jones would be a major upgrade for the Raiders interior pass rush as he has notched 33 sacks in his four-year career as a defensive tackle. That may not sound like all that many but over that span only two DTs have that many sacks or more, Calais Campbell with 39.5 and Aaron Donald with an absurd 52 (per Pro Football Reference). Jones will also only be 26-years-old when the 2020 season kicks off so a four or five year deal would include much of his prime.

The question is of course whether Kansas City will let Chris Jones walk but he did hold out last season and has yet to receive an extension so the door may be open for the Raiders to sneak in. There is always the possibility of Jones getting franchise tagged but if not, then he will surely be one of the top free agents available and perhaps second only to Jadeveon Clowney on the defensive side of the ball if he doesn’t return to Seattle.

The Raiders have an exciting young core on the defensive line in Maurice Hurst, Clelin Ferrell, and Maxx Crosby but what better way to help them all develop than to add a star that attracts double or triple teams at times. Crosby and Ferrell put up impressive numbers without a dominant inside presence so the addition of Jones would let them run free against over-matched tackles.

The cherry on top of signing Chris Jones would be weakening the dominant power in the division and if the Raiders have any designs on winning the AFC West next season, they will have to take down the Chiefs first and foremost and Jones is just the man to help them do it.