The Chiefs are making some noise at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Teams typically engage in preliminary trade discussions around this time, and a new report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport says that a big name from the Chiefs is on the trading block.
The Chiefs are listening trade offers on star outside linebacker Justin Houston. Houston was signed to a mega-deal following his monster 2014 season, where he almost broke the NFL single-season sack record. The Chiefs are now looking for an out on Houston’s contract because Dee Ford seems to be their plans for the future. The talks surrounding Houston are going just as we previously outlined in this article.
The big barriers to a trade involving Houston is that he has a big salary cap number in 2019. Teams don’t want to have to pay for a player twice, in trade and in salary cap space. That said, Houston’s contract is mostly market value for an elite pass rusher these days. He could potentially net more in the open market if a bidding war for his services occurred. That fact alone will create some very real trade interest for teams, especially if the Chiefs aren’t asking for an exorbitant amount in trade.
Houston is on the move, and the best option for the Chiefs is to find a trade partner. Getting something in return for this player would be a big win, but this could simply end in Houston getting cut and the Chiefs coming away empty-handed apart from savings against the salary cap.
