Kansas City Chiefs: A Reason Why Justin Houston Has Not Been Paid Yet

Since training camp got underway in late July, there has been plenty of discussion and speculation as to when Justin Houston would receive a new contract from the Kansas City Chiefs. He is in the final year of his four-year rookie contract, which is worth a little more than $2.78 million.

Houston is making just a little more than $1.4 million this season and hopes to cash in big.

However, it was expected that Chiefs general manager John Dorsey would have signed Houston to a new a deal by now. Instead, Dorsey has penned four other players to new deals.

Houston Still Unsigned

Dorsey’s first contract signing of the season came early in training camp while running back Jamaal Charles briefly held out and was given a two-year extension. Dorsey signed quarterback Alex Smith to a four-year deal before the regular season got underway.

Earlier this month, Dorsey inked fullback Anthony Sherman to a three-year extension and locked up defensive end Allen Bailey to a four-year contract deal.

At this point, it has been a surprise to many that Houston has not received a long-term contract. While leading the NFL with 12 sacks, there is no doubt that he has earned it.

The question is, when do the two sides come to an agreement? Why are other players receiving new deals before Houston when he is likely to be considered the most valuable player on the team this year?

Bleacher Report’s own Jason Cole said that a deal will get done between the Chiefs and Houston’s agent, but it is uncertain when this deal would happen. So the next questions in the minds of every Chiefs fan are, when will a deal get done and why is it taking so long?

Perhaps Houston’s performance, as odd as it may sound, is the biggest reason for the delay.

Deciding Factor in Signing Houston 

Houston, as mentioned earlier, leads the league with 12 sacks and has a chance at shattering Michael Strahan’s single-season record. Dorsey probably wants to wait until after the season to see how Houston does over the entire season.

By the time the season is over and all of the statistics become final in the books, the two parties will return to discussing a new contract and likely negotiate a fair deal after knowing how Houston does.

There is no doubt that Houston will make millions of dollars. However, because he is playing at a very high level, Dorsey wants to wait until after the season to make sure he spends the right amount on a player who will be 26 going into the 2015 season.

In 53 career games through nearly four seasons, Houston has recorded 38.5 sacks and has registered double-digit sacks in each of the last three years.

After earning 5.5 sacks his rookie season, his sack totals per season have gradually gone up.

After finishing with 11 sacks last year despite missing five games due to an elbow injury, Houston has already surpassed his career high for sacks in a year this season with 12 and can set the bar high for himself in the future.

Contract information courtesy of Spotrac.

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