Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston is set to become an unrestricted free agent next month and it couldn't be happening at a better time. Houston is coming off a season in which he led the league in sacks with 22. Since the start of the 2012 season, Houston has averaged a sack a game and is only 26 years old. His combination of youth and production should merit one of the richer contracts in recent memory.
The Chiefs have the option to franchise Houston by March 2 or they can try and work out a lucrative long-term deal. At this point, it's anyone's guess how they are preparing to handle his free agency.
"Justin Houston's contract situation remains in limbo, but multiple sources confirmed to The Star on Sunday that the Chiefs are expected to meet with Houston's representative, Joel Segal, at the NFL combine, which begins Wednesday in Indianapolis," Terez A. Paylor of the KC Star wrote.
"The Chiefs are not expected to designate Houston with a franchise tender before the meeting, a source said."
Overall, Houston is one of the top two free agents to hit the open market this offseason and easily one of the best pass-rushers in the entire NFL. Guys like him just don't come around that often and the Chiefs should be prepared to pay whatever it takes to keep him in town next season.
"Houston was easily the best outside pass-rusher regardless of position," ESPN NFL Insider Nathan Jahnke wrote. "There are plenty of times in which a sack total doesn't do a great job of showing how well a pass-rusher is doing because a player can get sacks without much other pressure, or a lot of pressure but few sacks. Houston is not one of those cases, as he led all outside pass rushers with 85 total pressures. What makes Houston worth even more money is he is the total package. Most elite edge rushers are below average against the run, but Houston managed 22 run stops, which was sixth-best for 3-4 outside linebackers, while missing only four tackles. He was also the only edge defender with more than 750 snaps to not commit a single penalty all year. This is a case in which the Chiefs could give him the franchise tag and Houston still wouldn't be making as much money in 2015 as he deserves."
Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith has to be commended for resurrecting his career and becoming one of the most efficient QBs in the NFL. However, Smith is not Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady. He can't mask the deficits of others. The Chiefs need a strong team from top-to-bottom to succeed and retaining Houston's services would go a long way in ensuring that. Houston's value to the team is that great.
