The Kansas City Chiefs have made their first cost-cutting move of the 2022 NFL offseason.
The Chiefs announced on Tuesday that they had released LB Anthony Hitchens. The veteran was entering the final year of a five-year, $45 million deal signed back in 2018. He was set to carry a cap hit of $12.7 million in 2022, but the Chiefs save $8.4 million by releasing him and will incur a dead-money charge of just $4.2 million.
With the emergence of second-year LB Willie Gay Jr. and rookie LB Nick Bolton, the writing was on the wall that 2021 would be the last season for Hitchens in Kansas City. He’ll finish his Chiefs career having started 59 regular-season games and 11 postseason games. He’s worn the green dot for the Chiefs for the past four seasons, recording 381 total tackles, 17 tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception, two forced fumbles and four passes defended.
Hitchens became a Super Bowl champion with the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV and he’ll always be remembered for his part in helping the team secure that victory.
Releasing Hitchens now gives him a head-start on finding a new team before the free agency period begins. That’s about as solid a move as the team can provide a veteran player when they’re being released.
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