Chiefs part ways with two-time Super Bowl champion pass rusher Michael Danna ahead of free agency
The move frees up nearly $9 million in salary cap space
Another notable name has entered the open market with NFL free agency just around the corner. Veteran pass rusher Michael Danna is now available after the Kansas City Chiefs decided to release him.
Like every team, the Chiefs need to be in compliance with the NFL salary cap prior to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11, which is the start of the new league year. The release of Danna is slated to free up $8.94 million of cap space, which leaves Kansas City $6.5 million over the cap.
Danna, 28, spent each of his first six seasons with the Chiefs, who drafted him in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. In 87 regular season games, Danna has recorded 21.5 sacks, 194 tackles (25 for loss), six forced fumbles and one interception. He has two sacks and one forced fumble in seven playoff games.
Danna's two best seasons with the Chiefs took place during Kansas City's back-to-back championship run during the 2022-23 seasons. In 2022, he recorded a then-career-high 5.0 sacks despite playing in just 13 games and not receiving a single start. The following season, Danna started in each of his 16 regular season games and recorded a career-high 6.5 sacks.
The last two seasons haven't been as productive, however. Specifically, this past season was Danna's least productive so far as he had just one sack and 25 tackles in 15 games. He did record his first career interception during Kansas City's Week 8 win over the Washington Commanders.
Expect Danna to have a pretty active market in free agency. Among the teams that are most in need of help at pass rusher include the Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers, Las Vegas Raiders and Detroit Lions.
