But again - you can't make the guy sign a damn deal.

If he won't sign and you've allotted a fair amount of money to him being here long term, now he's not gonna be and it's time to spend that money elsewhere.

Again, it's not Revis over Houston. It's Houston is out at what we can reasonably pay him so it's onto our 2nd best available option instead.

Right?

I could see losing a guy like Houston for a Brees. (I'd hate it, and disagree with it, but appreciate going the extra mile to win now.)

The only time this team has ever truly been competitive for a SB was in 93 when we went balls out to get it done.

And if we're not that team willing to be bold we damned sure better not let the few playmakers we do have walk...

Maybe they are fine letting him play with fire another year before extending him to a massive deal next offseason when they have oodles of cap space to work the deal however they want.

If he wants to hold KC hostage, that favor can be returned by tagging him 3 times in a row.

We have been trying to sign him for over a year and gave overpaid other free agents. Makes sense that KC is offering Houston a big money deal and he is trying to split kings.

Why the hell would we want Brees? Alex Smith is taller.

And that's the crux of my position here.

The Chiefs have little to gain at this point by not making him the best offer they're willing to make. They need to know what they're going to have and they're not going to let a million here or there blow that possibility apart.

There's little doubt in my mind that the Chiefs have made their best offer at this point. Now Houston and his agent are trying to hijack the organization by slow-playing it; essentially calling our bluff.

That's just not acceptable. The Chiefs have to be willing/able to plan and if Houston's dickholery and refusal to come to the table is nothing but a negotiating tactic, it's time to set that shit down, exchange your best numbers and see if there's overlap.

If there's no overlap, go to option two. If there was overlap and your goddamn agent just didn't fess up to that until it was too late, that's not the Chiefs fault here.

Neither side can overplay their hand - it will hurt everyone involved. In the end, however, it will almost certainly hurt Houston more as this will be the best bargaining position he ever has.

I can admit to being ignorant of whatever went on in talks between the team and Houston. We all are.

But why are people just defaulting to the team's side here?

Is it possible the FO said "Play this last year out and we'll take care of you. Don't worry about it" only to change their minds later when he beasted out?

I don't know. All we do know is that Houston is pissed. If we planned to take care of him long term Dorsey could just tell him this franchise tag is a temp measure and he'll have a hernia carrying his millions home next year.

And again, if we aren't willing to meet (what could be) insane demands trade him now for a talent like Brees or Graham.

If they are open to trading Brees then they pretty much HAVE to trade Brees.

Unless they just deny the whole thing as a rumor, that bridge is burned.

Past history.

Dorsey's not known for hardball, Segal is.

Additionally, it's just weighted cost/benefit - the Chiefs gain less by slow-playing this than Houston's camp would, so the Chiefs are far more likely to simply put their best offer on the table.

You're right - I can't know for sure that the Chiefs are acting in good faith with him here, but logic and history strongly favors it.

35 is like 30 in the new NFL. Too bad we can't take on that salary. Drew, JC, Macklin.... And our badass D.

I'm not saying your basic argument isn't valid - it is.

What I'm asking is what evidence do we have that Houston is now or has ever been unreasonable? We've gotten top shelf play out of him for rot gut prices since we drafted him.

That's his own fault - but we've gotten a steal.

Has he ever been vocal or a problem before?...

Nah, you gotta figure that if Houston didn't want J.J. Watt money then the Chiefs would have signed him already and then tagged Hudson.

They gave up something to tag Houston. Houston either wants a buttload of money or just plain wants out of KC.

That is not taking either side, just logic.

Houston would be stupid to sign our offer if there is still the possibility of another team paying him what he wants. I say if nobody comes knocking, then he may look at the offer again. Dungver has been quiet, and that would be a completely Elway move. That would ****ing SUCK!!!!

Off topic, but in captain obvious news...

“@TonyPauline: NFL insider on Raiders plight in FA, "Raiders are still looking for someone to give their money to."

LMAO nobody wants to go to hell.

For the same reason we all loved Croyle: his wife...

Exactly.

He better hope he doesn't hurt his elbow again...or blow out a knee...if he does, he will have a long road back to RIGHT HERE...and likely will never get back.

It's a shame his agent has convinced him that he has all this untouchable leverage in this situation when in reality the Chiefs can keep him for 3 years for around 50m and force him to play on one year deals the whole way.

Dude better step back and realize what a big gamble that really is.