For months, there has been no real progress between the Chiefs and franchise-tagged linebacker Justin Houston on a long-term deal. It that’s going to change, it’s going to change soon.
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, nothing is currently happening between the Chiefs and Houston. It’s expected that talks will renew on Tuesday, at which time team and player will learn whether the two circles in the Venn diagram can find a way to kiss in advance of Wednesday’s pucker-or-get-off-the-pot deadline.
Because Houston has played only four seasons, total value is more important that usual, because he’s more likely than a 30-something player to cash every check. Guarantees also are a major factor, with signing bonus being even more important than fully-guaranteed payments because all full guarantees can be voided with as little as a one-game suspension.
Look for that to be a bigger and bigger issue in contract negotiations. The only real guarantee is money in the bank, and the signing bonus is the only way to do that.