Forecasting a Potential Contract Extension for Justin Jones with the Chicago Bears

Last time, Jones signed a 2-year contract worth $12M. Can he command the same value this time around, or could he potentially secure an even larger and longer deal?

In recent times, a few interior defensive tackles like Larry Ogunjobi, Bilal Nichols, Roy Robertson-Harris, Austin Johnson, and DaQuan Jones have signed new deals. Notably, the first three have connections with the Bears, making it intriguing to draw comparisons with Justin Jones. We're going to compare data from 2020 onwards to capture the most relevant trends in the ever-changing NFL landscape.

A fair assessment places Justin Jones smack dab in the middle of this pack. He ranks fourth in tackles, second in tackles for loss, and third in sacks. While his pressure is slightly below par, his run defense is above average, and his Approximate Value is solidly median. All these factors make for good comparatives and give us some boundaries for his new contract.

So, what kind of contracts did these players land?

Larry Ogunjobi bagged the highest among all mentioned names. The Bears initially had Ogunjobi as their top choice, and his stats do suggest he's superior to most others in this pool.

With this in mind, Ogunjobi's annual salary of $9.6M sets a definite ceiling for Justin Jones. Even with a robust performance in 2023, it might be difficult for Jones to hit that salary range. However, his numbers align quite well with Bilal Nichols, and given the escalating salary cap, it's fair to say that Jones' floor is in the $7M range.

Previously, Jones signed for $6M per year. This time, he could command between $5M and $9M. The average might be a reasonable figure, granting Jones a slight increase from his last contract while signaling the Bears' appreciation for his work. Additionally, considering the rising salary cap, this deal would maintain a similar financial structure to his previous one.

So, would you, as the Chicago Bears, be willing to extend Justin Jones a two-year, $14.5M deal with approximately $10M guaranteed? Would Jones find this offer acceptable? Time will tell.