The Kansas City Chiefs are going to be without one of the game’s best defenders for a while.
According to CBS Sports NFL insider Jason La Canfora, the team doesn’t expect linebacker Justin Houston to return until November at the earliest.
Houston underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL and LCL back in February. At that time, the expectation was that he’d miss some regular season action.
The All Pro performer has not taken part in team activities since and was placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list during the summer. That guaranteed he’d miss the first six games of the season.
Now, based off this most recent report, it surely looks like the time frame is being pushed back considerably.
Houston, 27, has earned a Pro Bowl trip in each of the past four seasons. During that span, the former third-round pick has racked up 50-plus sacks. He led the NFL in quarterback take downs with 22 back in 2014.
With Houston now expected to miss more than half the season, Kansas City is going to need to get production from 2014 first-round pick Dee Ford. He’s put up just 5.5 sacks in two seasons.