The Kansas City Chiefs are going to be making some very difficult choices in the coming days, and one of them is defensive lineman Jaye Howard.
Howard is one of the best 30-4 defensive ends in the game, showcasing a rare blend of both speed and power for a man of 335 pounds. Kansas City would certainly love to have Howard back in the fold for 2016 and beyond, but used the franchise tag on Eric Berry and only has $22.6 million in space to go towards Tamba Hali, Jeff Allen, Sean Smith, Derrick Johnson, a host of other free agents and a draft class.
However, Howard made it known on Sirius XM radio that he would like to return to Kansas City, although he didn’t sound all too confident that it would be the outcome. Per Joel Thorman of Arrowhead Pride:
"“It’s kinda up in the air,” Howard said when asked for an update on the status of his talks with the Chiefs. “Kansas City, you know, became home for me and my family, me and my wife and my two boys. They embraced this. I love the fans there, I love the organization. The front office staff is great, my teammates, I’m surrounded by great players. I would love to be there but ultimately at this point in my career it’s about me and my family now.”"
Howard might have priced himself out of the Chiefs’ clutches with the last two seasons, including a 5.5-sack performance in 2015. Kansas City knows it also has to pay Dontari Poe after next season, when the hulking nose tackle is due an extension. In addition, the Chiefs have already paid Allen Bailey, and the upcoming draft class is absolutely stacked with defensive linemen.
Kansas City would certainly like to keep a talent like Howard in the fold, but it might be easier said than done.