All players restricted by the franchise tag have until July 15 to sign long-term contracts with their current teams. After that, they can accept only one-year deals to stay put.
As to the Chiefs and linebacker Justin Houston, who racked up 22.0 sacks in his contract year, there’s still a chance a long-term deal will be negotiated. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the two sides have been talking. However, significant progress has not yet been made.
Houston, who can earn $13.1 million under the one-year franchise tag for linebackers, has a clear objective regarding the value of a long-term deal.