Kansas City Chiefs release Jeremy Maclin

In a bit of a surprise move, the Chiefs decided to part ways with wide receiver Jeremy Maclin to clear some cap space.

The Kansas City Chiefs made a big move to free up some cap room, as they released star wide receiver Jeremy Maclin on Friday.

The team announced the move late Friday night, and released a statement featuring thoughts from Chiefs general manager John Dorsey and head coach Andy Reid.

Dorsey, through the statement, thanked Maclin for his performance in Kansas City, and wished him the best in his future endeavors.

“I’d like to thank Jeremy for his effort and dedication the past two seasons,” Dorsey said. “I have great respect for all players, which makes decisions like these very difficult, but we felt it was in the best interest of our club moving forward to part ways at this time.”

The move reportedly clears $10 million in cap space for the Chiefs, but one has to wonder if the move was worth the financial relief in the end.

Maclin played in 27 games with the Chiefs between two seasons, after spending time with the Philadelphia Eagles previously. In his two years with the Chiefs, he recorded 31 receptions for 1,624 yards with 10 touchdowns, and was one of the team’s top receivers on an offense that struggled to find the end zone.

Reid, who coached Maclin in both Philadelphia and Kansas City, also praised the wideout, and gave a ringing endorsement for any teams needing a wide receiver like Maclin.

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“These decisions are never easy, especially with a player like Jeremy who I’ve grown close with on and off the football field over the years,” Reid said. “I have a lot of respect for the way he goes about his business and how he handles himself as a professional.”

The move is shocking for sure, and Maclin will likely find a home sooner rather than later with a team looking to bolster their offense.