The Kansas City Chiefs have started the purge. As they look to remake the roster following an abysmal season, their thin financial margins were bound to force some tough decisions and one of the first dominoes to fall is the release of defensive end Mike Danna.
The Chiefs announced the release of Danna on Monday, ahead of the NFL's annual gathering in Indianapolis for the Scouting Combine.
The release of Danna was an expected move, considering that it clears over $8 million in cap space for a team pinching the proverbial penny. Danna was on the books for $11 million heading into the final seaosn of his three-year, $24 million extension signed before the 2024 campaign.
The Chiefs have begun a roster purge to get themselves into stronger financial shape with the release of Mike Danna.
Danna was the first of Brett Veach's draft picks to earn a second contract with the team, and will be remembered as an impressive find in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Michigan. Danna showed some versatility throughout his career to slide inside and provide some pass-rushing push, but made his mark as a high-floor edge-setter who was a coach's favorite for his intelligence and effort that often went overlooked.
Going forward, the Chiefs needed to upgrade from Danna as a starter, and Ashton Gillotte's emergence as a rookie made it clear that Danna's days were numbered. Now the Chiefs move forward with Karlaftis and Gillotte on the edges and a major need for fresh talent given that Charles Omenihu is also slated to hit free agency.
Danna had 25 tackles for the Chiefs and 1 sack a year ago while also grabbing his first interception. He appeared in 87 total regular-season games with the Chiefs over the last six seasons with 25 tackles for loss and 21.5 career sacks to his credit. He also added another 8 quarterback hits and 2 sacks in 16 postseason games with Kansas City.
The Chiefs began the offseason with the NFL's worst cap situation, but a restructuring of quarterback Patrick Mahomes' contract lowered the pressure considerably. However, the Chiefs remain $3.3M over the cap (per OTC) even after releasing Danna as well. Further cuts are expected, including right tackle Jawaan Taylor, and more restructures are also plausible, including potential amendments to the contracts of center Creed Humphrey, defensive tackle Chris Jones, and/or right guard Trey Smith.