KC Chiefs: Moving on from Dee Ford and Justin Houston right move

4 of 5

Kansas City Chiefs linebackers Justin Houston (50) and Dee Ford (55) (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Trade Market

On the surface, trading Houston and Ford seems difficult. Ford is playing on the franchise tag and offers no long-term stability, and Houston is an aging veteran with an injury history and a cap hit that rivals most quarterbacks. This makes it seem like finding trade partners would be more than difficult. That, however, shouldn’t be the case.

The market for pass rushers is always booming in the NFL. Just last year, Khalil Mack was traded for two firsts, and one third and sixth round picks. Obviously Ford and Houston won’t command that kind of return, but that doesn’t mean they won’t command a decent return.

The pass rush market is thin this year, and for all of the talent in the draft, most contenders are going to miss out on top end prospects because they are picking late in every round. The free agent market looked healthy just a few days ago, but players like Jadeveon Clowney, Frank Clark, Demarcus Lawrence, Grady Jarrett, and yes, Dee Ford, were hit with the tags. This made teams’ options at pass rush slimmer than it otherwise would’ve been, shaping the market for Houston and Ford.

More from KC Kingdom

Ford is the more enticing player, with him being younger, productive, and with a cap hit $6 million less than Houston’s. Teams won’t have to worry about him being a one year rental either, as they could just tag him again next year. Realistically, I can see the Chiefs come away with a second and a late round pick in exchange for the services of Ford.

Houston may be a bit trickier to offload. His cap hit is massive, but his production is actually even better than some realized. He had his best defensive rating from Pro Football Focus in 2018 since his dominate 22 sack season. He graded out well in run defense, pass rushing, and coverage.

Houston is also only 30 years old. This may put him out of his prime, but he realistically has at least three more years of quality football in him. His production alone makes him a top tier player, and his cap hit is one that isn’t as scary as it may seem.

A team like the Browns or the Colts, who have Chiefs front office roots in GM’s John Dorsey and Chris Ballard, may look at Houston as a high-risk-high-reward type trade. They both have the cap space to absorb his hit now, and when his next contract comes up, they could re-sign him at a discounted rate.

His on field production, playoff experience, and veteran leadership would make him a perfect fit for these two teams. Both teams are also on the brink of contention, with the Browns only a few games out of the playoffs last year and the Colts coming off of a Wild Card win against the Texans in quarterback Andrew Luck‘s triumphant return.

A fourth round pick from either of these teams should be enough to make the Chiefs interested.

Home/Chiefs Free Agency