Bailey Extension Smart Move for Chiefs, but Only If They Can Keep Justin Houston

On Saturday, the Kansas City Chiefs inked defensive end Allen Bailey to a four-year contract extension worth a reported base value of $25 million.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com first reported the deal, which includes a $10 million signing bonus and $15 million in total guaranteed money.

For many, this will seem like a pretty hefty contract for a 3-4 defensive end, especially a relative unknown in his first season as a full-time starter. However, it is important to recognize just how valuable Bailey is to Kansas City's second-ranked defense (16.8 points per game allowed). 

Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton on Bailey, via Adam Teicher of ESPN.com:

"

He’s obviously a very gifted guy athletically. He could play 80 plays a week and never get tired. He and [defensive tackle Dontari] Poe are very similar that way. Where’s he’s started to develop is he’s getting all the other things that come really from just playing. The last two years is the first time he’s really played a lot of snaps and this year obviously he’s playing almost all the snaps.

"

While he might not play 80 snaps a week, Bailey is on the field a lot for Kansas City. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), only seven 3-4 defensive ends have logged more snaps than Bailey (472) this season. 

Bailey has quickly developed into a cornerstone of the Chiefs defensive front thanks to his consistent presence and high motor. He has also developed into a capable pass-rusher from the end position.

According to Pro Football Focus, Bailey ranks 15th in the NFL among 3-4 ends in pass rushing. He has four sacks already this season to go with 27 tackles.

According to B.J. Kissel of KCChiefs.com, Bailey has also appeared in nearly a third of Kansas City's special teams plays:

These are all reasons why it makes perfect sense for the Chiefs to go ahead and get a deal with Bailey done now. However, Kansas City absolutely cannot allow the signing to affect the pursuit of a new deal with star linebacker Justin Houston.

Houston has been a pass-rushing terror over the past three seasons, racking up 33 sacks since the start of 2012. He currently leads the NFL with 12 sacks on the season and has more sacks over the past two years (23) than superstar pass-rusher J.J. Watt (19).

He is currently in the final year of his rookie deal and would likely become one of the most sought-after players if allowed to hit the open market next offseason.

Houston may very well be looking at a deal similar to the six-year, $100 million contract the Houston Texans recently awarded Watt. 

Coming up with the money to grant such a deal may prove difficult for Kansas City. According to Spotrac.com, the Chiefs are currently a mere $1.66 million under the 2014 salary cap and are expected to carry $135.9 million worth of contracts and dead money into next season. 

This is why a big-money contract could be tricky to produce, and the use of the franchise tag might be downright impossible. 

Bailey's extension obviously cuts into the pool of money the Chiefs will have available to throw at Houston during negotiations. By extending Bailey, the Chiefs also run the risk of sending the message that Houston is no longer the top free-agent priority.

The Chiefs have a number of pending free agents, including center Rodney Hudson, right tackle Ryan Harris and cornerback Chris Owens. Re-signing Bailey may be the first step in a plan to retain many of the Chiefs' core players, but not Houston.

For a Chiefs team that is built on the formula of winning with defense, this could be a major mistake. 

With most teams in the league continually trending toward a pass-first mentality, the pass-rusher has become perhaps the most important defensive position on the field.

The Chiefs currently employ one of the top pass-rushers in the entire NFL—at least until the end of this season.