Kansas City Chiefs: Tamba Hali Needs an Extension Now

The Kansas City Chiefs ended their 2010 season earlier this month with many question marks for this upcoming offseason.

One of these questions deals with Pro Bowl linebacker Tamba Hali and if the team is going to re-sign him to a new contract and extend him for the foreseeable future.

Chiefs GM Scott Pioli has reportedly said that Hali will be first in line on the list of players to be re-signed this offseason.

After all, Pioli should be saying this after the season that Mr. Hali had in 2010.

Hali led the AFC in sacks with 14.5 for the year, recorded a career-high three pass deflections and picked up four forced fumbles as well.

The former Penn State star was also near the top of the league in QB hurries after leading the entire NFL in that stat just a year ago.

He has been all over the place on the KC defense this past season, including the Chiefs' lone playoff game, where he harassed Ravens QB Joe Flacco for two sacks and a forced fumble.

The Liberia native has really developed into an elite NFL pass rusher over the last couple seasons and is only going to get better as he begins to reach his prime.

With Hali's current contract ending after the '10 season, he would be eligible to become a free agent here in about a month.

This would mean that a deal should be imminent in the near future for such a rising star in this league.

So why hasn't it happened yet?

Apparently, the Chiefs have been having issues with Hali's agent on an extension, and this could very well be the root of the problem.

Pioli and Co. need to pay Hali sooner rather than later if they hope to have a contending defense in this league for next season and beyond.