The Kansas City Chiefs are set to release wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling to save $12million against the NFL’s 2024 salary cap, according to widespread reports.
Valdes-Scantling joined the Chiefs in March 2022 and has featured in two Super Bowl runs in as many years in Kansas City.
He hauled in six passes for 116 yards and a touchdown as the Chiefs overcame the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship game last year, before Andy Reid’s men went on to beat the Philadelphia Eagles at Super Bowl LVII.
This year, Valdes-Scantling had three receptions for 20 yards and a touchdown at Super Bowl LVIII as the Chiefs retained their crown, beating the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime.
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However, the 29-year-old’s figures were down across the board in 2023, managing just 21 catches for 315 yards and one touchdown throughout the regular season as the Chiefs struggled on offense.
On Wednesday, both ESPN and The Athletic reported that Valdes-Scantling would be allowed to depart, in a move which creates $12m of cap space for 2024 with just $2m in dead money.
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Kansas City are now expected to revamp their receiver options ahead of a push for a third straight Super Bowl, with Justin Watson, Rashee Rice, Skyy Moore, Kadarius Toney and Justyn Ross the only wide receivers left on their roster.
The team are expected to move for two new players in the position, targeting a veteran in free agency and a draft prospect in April.
The Chiefs have plenty of big decisions to make during the offseason, and on Tuesday, general manager Brett Veach said retaining All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones was “at the top of the list”.
The team are reportedly prepared to use the franchise tag on either Jones or cornerback L’Jarius Sneed if they cannot get the duo tied down to new deals by the start of free agency next month.
