The purge has begun in Kansas City. It’s unclear who will be next after cornerback Darrelle Revis and linebacker Derrick Johnson. It is clear who won’t be.
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, linebacker Justin Houston won’t be among those getting a one-way ticket out of town.
Yes, he has only 21 total sacks in the three seasons since he had 22. But he’s still regarded as one of the best players on the team, if not the best.
Houston has a base salary of $14.75 million in 2018, and a cap number of $20.6 million. He carries $12.7 million in dead money, if he were to be traded or released.
As one source put it, Houston wants to stay with the Chiefs, but he wouldn’t complain about being released, since he’d instantly become one of the hottest free agents for the coming spending cycle.