Kansas City, MO — The Kansas City Chiefs are aggressively reshaping their roster during the 2026 NFL offseason, navigating a significant salary cap crunch and redefining their competitive window after missing playoff expectations. Head coach Andy Reid and GM Brett Veach have made tough decisions, releasing several veteran players as the organization seeks cap flexibility and a refreshed roster mix.
According to official Chiefs transactions, multiple experienced contributors were released this offseason as part of broader roster management and cap strategy maneuvers.
The players released by the Chiefs this offseason are:
• Mike Danna (DE) — Released to clear approximately $9 million in cap space.
• Jawaan Taylor (RT) — Right tackle released to save about $20 million against the cap.
• ShunDerrick Powell (RB) — Waived to open a roster spot ahead of rookie minicamp.
• Jake Haener (QB) — Waived following minicamp roster moves.
These moves reflect Kansas City’s efforts to free up salary cap space and reconfigure its depth chart for the upcoming NFL season, particularly as the team restructured star Patrick Mahomes’ contract and pursued both veteran free agents and draft assets.
Veteran Mike Danna, a disruptive edge defender, was one of the early releases as the Chiefs worked to become cap‑compliant for 2026, giving the team about $9 million in savings.
Jawaan Taylor, a high‑profile offensive lineman, was released to create roughly $20 million in cap space after the team failed to find a trade partner, leaving room for younger blockers to compete.
ShunDerrick Powell, an undrafted running back, was waived as the Chiefs trimmed down their roster and prepared for minicamp.
Jake Haener, a backup quarterback added earlier in the offseason, was also waived as part of a series of roster moves following rookie minicamp.
These roster releases underscore Kansas City’s challenging offseason strategy — balancing present competitiveness with financial reality, while creating flexibility to target new talent and develop younger contributors.
