When Justin Houston was slapped with the franchise tag in late February, the Kansas City Chiefs made sure their most important free-agent was retained. The move came as a shock to nobody, with Houston likely looking for a record-setting deal at his position.
BuffaLowDown
General manager John Dorsey has gone on the record numerous times stating he wants Houston to remain with the Chiefs, but the two sides have not spoken since the tag was applied, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Houston was incredible last year, earning first-team All-Pro honors with 22 sacks, a half-sack shy of the NFL single-season record held by Michael Strahan.
If the two sides do not come to an agreement on a long-term contract before July 15, Houston will be compelled to play out 2015 on a one-year deal for $13.195 million. Houston can choose not to sign his franchise tender and sit out, but he will be losing pay throughout. If he sits past Week 10, he will not accrue a year toward free agency, something that would be a crushing blow toward him getting a massive contract.
Chiefs owner Clark Hunt does not seem concerned about the proceedings, telling Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star back in February the Houston won’t be going anywhere.
"“He knows, and his agent knows, how much we want him back,” Hunt said. “We just all have to be patient, and eventually, we’re going to get him signed to a long-term deal.”"
All of this back and forth is typical when a true star wants a large contract. Kansas City understands how special Houston is and what he means to the team. Houston realizes he is in a great situation with a coach he seems to love in Andy Reid, and ample playmakers around him that force offenses not to double-team him on every play.
While the situation will stress everybody out, it would be mildly shocking if the Chiefs don’t get a deal done before July 15 with Houston. It’s going to cost a pretty penny, but the former University of Georgia star deserves all of it. With 48.5 sacks in four years, Houston has been everything Kansas City could have imagined and then some when they took him 70th overall in the 2011 NFL Draft.