Kansas City Chiefs will likely franchise tag Justin Houston

It is becoming increasingly unlikely that the Kansas City Chiefs and star pass rusher Justin Houston will reach a contract agreement by the start of the 2014-15 regular season.

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That means Houston will finish out his current contract before having the opportunity to hit the open market.

But don’t expect the Chiefs to let Houston get away.

Houston, who has 26.5 sacks since joining the league as a third-round pick out of Georgia in 2011, is one of the fiercest pass rushers in the league and that is an invaluable asset to the Kansas City Chiefs defense.

The Chiefs recognize just how important Houston is and what he brings to the field, so they are likely to use the franchise tag on him before he can become a free agent.

From Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star:

While that is just Paylor’s opinion, it is a very valuable one.

The Chiefs would do everything in their power to keep Houston on the roster, especially in a league where getting to the quarterback is so important.

So while some Chiefs fans begin to worry about losing Houston in the offseason, there is no reason to panic because the team has options that would keep Houston in a Chiefs uniform even without a long-term deal.

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