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The franchise tag is used when a team is unable to get a long-term deal done with a high-profile player, but they still believe the chance of knocking out a deal is possible in the future. If that is the plan for the Kansas City Chiefs with linebacker Justin Houston, the organization definitely made the right call using the franchise tag on him.
The 26-year-old put together three solid seasons in his first three years in the league after being selected in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft. With that said, none of those seasons are comparable to what he accomplished in 2014.
A candidate for Defensive Player of the Year, Houston posted career numbers across the board. In 16 games, he recorded 68 combined tackles, four forced fumbles and five passes defended. Even more incredible, he led the league with an impressive 22 sacks, which was 1.5 more than 2014 Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt. And yes, his sack total was a half-sack away from Michael Strahan’s single season record that was set in 2001.
As the top-rated outside linebacker of last season, the Chiefs knew they could not let Houston get away in the offseason. Even though he is most likely upset due to the fact that he was on the verge of breaking the bank in free agency, it is the right move for the organization if they intend on clinching a playoff berth and doing some damage in the postseason in 2015.
At this point, Kansas City has to hope that buying one more year will allow them to figure out a way to ensure Houston remains with the team for the entirety of his career.
Michael Terrill is a Senior Writer for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @MichaelTerrill, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
