Justin Houston will open the 2016 season on the PUP list, and the Kansas City Chiefs think he may not be able to return until November.
The Kansas City Chiefs are expected to contend for a division title in 2016, after making a nice run to the Wild Card in 2015. Unfortunately for them, their star linebacker may not be able to help out for a while. Justin Houston is currently on the physically unable to perform list, and according to a team source, he may be out until at least November.
Houston is one of the elite pass rushers in the league, and he plays in a division that is very pass heavy. Between Philip Rivers of the San Diego Chargers, and Derek Carr of the Oakland Raiders, the AFC West boasts some of the best quarterbacks in the AFC. The Chiefs ability to rush the passer makes them very hard to exploit, but without Houston, quarterbacks are going to be able to have time to make throws downfield.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter took to twitter on Sunday morning to announce the news regarding Houston.
Chiefs projecting Pro Bowl LB Justin Houston to return in November, nine months after he underwent surgery on a torn ACL, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 11, 2016
It has been nine months since Houston underwent surgery for a torn ACL, so the timetable is about right for a November return. The Chiefs are going to be solid even without him, and getting a healthy Houston back in time for a playoff push will give the team an added advantage.
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The AFC West is probably going to be won with ten games, so the Chiefs will be able to stay in the thick of things until Houston returns.