Jaye Howard Re-Signs with Chiefs: Latest Contract Details, Comments and Reaction

Defensive lineman Jaye Howard used his career year in 2015 to cash in with a big free-agent contract Wednesday, as he signed a deal to remain with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network and ESPN's Adam Schefter both reported the deal is worth two years and "up to" $12 million. The Chiefs confirmed the deal on Thursday.

The 27-year-old veteran spent the past three seasons with the Chiefs after the Seattle Seahawks selected him in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL draft out of Florida.

Howard finally started to live up to his potential in 2014, as he started 10 games and produced to the tune of 36 tackles and one sack. He then managed to build upon that progress last season with a career-high 57 tackles and 5.5 sacks in 14 starts.

While Howard was excellent in 2015, the fact that KC entered the offseason with so many impending free agents on the defensive side of the ball complicated matters.

According to ESPN.com's Adam Teicher, Howard expressed interest in returning to the Chiefs but also made it clear that he was willing to consider any and all options:

"

It's kind of up in the air. Kansas City became home for me and my family, me and my wife and my two boys. They embraced us. I love the fans there. I love the organization. The front office staff is great. I'm surrounded by great players. I would love to be there. But ultimately, at this point in my career, it's about me and my family now.

I'm open to going anywhere. I think my versatility is going to be able to make me fit into any scheme. I would love to stay in Kansas City, but I'm hoping to go anywhere that's going to allow me to just continue my success.

"

Howard conceivably received no shortage of feelers from organizations during his time on the free-agent market largely because of his versatility.

As pointed out by NFL Films producer Greg Cosell, players of Howard's ilk are extremely valuable in the NFL's current landscape, per Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star:

"

He's played as a one-technique, he's played as a three-technique and he's played as a five-technique, and he's played all well. There's not a lot of those guys ... (but) we saw with Denver what happens (when you have that).

Obviously (DeMarcus) Ware and (Von) Miller get all the accolades, but (Malik) Jackson and Derek Wolfe inside ... are such critical pieces to their defense.

"

That notion was bolstered by a report from the Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs, as he heard at the NFL Scouting Combine that Howard was seeking a deal that would pay him between $8 million and $9 million per season.

Howard's asking price was lofty, but the Chiefs made a significant statement by re-signing him and making him a huge part of their defensive core.

It can be argued that being surrounded by great players is what allowed Howard to develop into the type of player he ultimately became in 2015, but now he has a chance to prove that he is more than a complementary piece in KC.

Replacing a do-everything player such as Howard would have been extremely difficult for the Chiefs, and even though the price was steep, they gave themselves a great opportunity to continue their high level of play defensively by retaining him.

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