Justin Houston, Kansas City Chiefs in extension talks
Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Justin Houston (50) in the first half at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports
Kansas City Chiefs star outside linebacker Justin Houston could be the next young standout to receive a contract extension, as CBS Sports’s Jason La Canfora reports that both sides were in talks during the Combine. It’s going to take quite a bit of money to lock up Houston, who is coming after a monster season and is one of the league’s premier 3-4 outside linebackers. He’s also just 25, which means that he’s only going to earn more money as his contract runs its course.
I wouldn’t be surprised to hear word of a new deal between Houston and the Chiefs at some point this offseason, especially since he is heading into the last year of his rookie deal and will only make $645,000 in 2014. Houston is a clear building block on one of the league’s best defenses, so locking up a centerpiece player should be a priority for John Dorsey and the Chiefs organization.
It will be interesting to see how talks progress, and I could see Houston signing a five-year deal worth an average of at least $8 million annually. After recording 66 tackles and ten sacks in 2012, he had 44 tackles and 11 sacks last season but was even better when you look at the sheer amount of pressure he put on quarterbacks. Both he and Tamba Hali terrorize QBs on a regular basis, and this Chiefs defense will be even scarier with Houston locked up and a better free safety holding down the fort in deep coverage.