Justin Houston Injury: Updates on Chiefs Star's Recovery from Knee Surgery

After undergoing ACL surgery in February, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston's status for the 2016 season remains in doubt.

Continue for updates.

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Reid Unsure of Houston's Availability for Training Camp

Tuesday, July 26

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said Tuesday that Houston may not get back to 100 percent in time to practice during the team's training camp, which concludes Aug. 18, per Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Houston is expected to miss the beginning of the season.

Houston is coming off his fourth straight Pro Bowl season. He recorded 30 combined tackles and 7.5 sacks in 11 games.

The 27-year-old has been one of the most consistent members of the Chiefs defense since entering the league in 2011. In 70 games for the team, he has 56 sacks. Kansas City rewarded him with a six-year, $101 million extension in July 2015.

His 2015 campaign ended after he hyperextended his knee in the Chiefs' November win over the Buffalo Bills. The problem persisted throughout the offseason, and Paylor reported in March that Houston would need six to 12 months to recover from surgery.

A healthy Tamba Hali gives Kansas City some protection if Houston's most recent injury proves to be serious. But Hali isn't the same caliber of pass-rusher that Houston is. Frank Zombo and Dee Ford are largely unproven in the NFL as well.

The Chiefs' chances of a second-straight trip to the playoffs aren't solely dependent on Houston's health and performance. Given the variables on Kansas City's offense, though—namely Jamaal Charles' durability and Alex Smith's history of being a very good but not great quarterback—the defense will play a large role on guaranteeing postseason football.

In the event Houston is forced to miss a significant chunk of games, the Chiefs will need Zombo or Ford to step up in a big way.