Report: Chris Jones will skip mandatory minicamp starting Tuesday

According to a report from NFL network insider Ian Rapoport, Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones — now in the process of negotiating a new contract — will not be in attendance for the opening session of the Chiefs’ mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, and is not expected to participate in the sessions scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.

Jones is now in the final year of his rookie contract, and the Chiefs have made it clear that they intend to extend his deal this offseason. It was not surprising that Jones did not attend the voluntary OTA sessions over recent weeks — it’s not unusual for players in Jones’ situation to avoid voluntary practices to avoid additional risk of injury during contract negotiations.

But the minicamp is another matter. All players are expected to attend, and can be fined if they miss practice sessions. Even so, it’s not uncommon for players in contract negotiations to skip minicamp; it’s just less common than skipping OTAs. Usually, any fines that the player might owe from missing practices are worked in to the new contact.

As Pete Sweeney noted on Twitter, since the team is in the midst of installing a new defensive scheme with new coaches and players, it’s in the best interest of both parties to get this deal done as soon as possible. While Rapoport describes the negotiations as “stalled,” there’s still plenty of reason to feel optimistic Jones and the Chiefs will reach a deal before training camp begins in St. Joseph.