Chiefs Cut Playoff Hero Just Weeks After Super Bowl
By Joe Summers
In perhaps the least surprising move of the offseason to this point, the Kansas City Chiefs reportedly released veteran WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, freeing up $12 million in cap space in the process.
Valdes-Scantling exits Kansas City with two Super Bowl rings and numerous clutch plays in the postseason, including the game-sealing catch against the Ravens in the AFC Championship and a TD in the Super Bowl win over the 49ers.
This was a disappointing regular season for Valdes-Scantling, who caught just 21 passes for 315 yards and one TD, though he came up big when the Chiefs absolutely needed him to.
Chiefs Roster News: KC Releases Marquez Valdes-Scantling
Source: #Chiefs are releasing wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) February 28, 2024
Saves Kansas City $12 million on the cap.
The Chiefs have a long list of free agents to negotiate with, headlined by Chris Jones and L'Jarius Sneed, though the latter seems likely to be traded.
Nonetheless, this gives Brett Veach ample cap space to work out a deal with Jones and pursue extensions for valuable players like Drue Tranquill, Willie Gay Jr. or perhaps a free agent. More moves are likely to come with the NFL Combine starting this week, and the early release gives Valdes-Scantling time to find a new home before teams allocate the salary cap dollars elsewhere.
Despite this season's struggles, Valdes-Scantling will be remember fondly in Kansas City for his playoff heroics. When the Chiefs suffered an onslaught of injures to skill-position players in last year's AFC Championship game against the Bengals, Valdes-Scantling rose to the occasion with six catches for 118 yards and TD to help send Kansas City back to the Super Bowl.
He'll have suitors around the league, potentially even the Jets to reunite with former teammate Aaron Rodgers. No matter what happens, he'll always be a champion, and his playoff catches will roll on the highlight reels for years to come.
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