The Chiefs applied their franchise tag to linebacker Justin Houston on March 2, buying some time to negotiate a lucrative contract with their star pass-rusher.
Although Houston has yet to sign the $13.1 million franchise tag, Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt is confident that a long-term deal is near, according to the Kansas City Star.
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"I’ve been very consistent in saying that we not only value Justin as a football player, that we not only value Justin as a person and leader, and we want him to be a Chief for life," Hunt said at this week's NFL meetings in Arizona. "And the negotiating process in these type of situations, as (general manager) John (Dorsey) has said, takes some patience. You just have to have patience. It will work out."
Kansas City has until July 15 to reach a long-term agreement with Houston.
Because the linebacker is under a nonexclusive franchise tag, another team could put together an offer sheet for him. If that happens, the Chiefs could choose to match the offer or let Houston go in exchange for two first-round picks from the other team.
Houston has until Week 10 of the regular season to sign the tag and is not required to attend practices until he does.
"I’ve said in the past and I’ll say it now, I consider Justin Houston a Kansas City Chief," Dorsey said. "I don’t see him going anywhere."
Houston led the league with 22 sacks last season, half a sack shy of the NFL single-season record set by Michael Strahan in 2001. He added 59 tackles and four forced fumbles in his All-Pro season.
“He knows, and his agent knows, how much we want him back,” Hunt said. “We just all have to be patient, and eventually, we’re going to get him signed to a long-term deal.”
Houston, 26, was selected by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft. The former Georgia Bulldog has been to the last three Pro Bowls and has 48.5 sacks in his four-year career.