Chiefs part ways with linebacker Anthony Hitchens
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY SportsThe Kansas City Chiefs announced Tuesday afternoon that former team captain and veteran linebacker Anthony Hitchens has been released. The Chiefs released Hitchens for salary cap purposes. The eighth-year linebacker was set to make $7.8 million in base salary and counted a little over $12.6 million against the cap in 2022. […]
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY SportsThe Kansas City Chiefs announced Tuesday afternoon that former team captain and veteran linebacker Anthony Hitchens has been released.
The Chiefs released Hitchens for salary cap purposes. The eighth-year linebacker was set to make $7.8 million in base salary and counted a little over $12.6 million against the cap in 2022. Kansas City saves a little over $8.4 million thanks to the move, so they now have around $8.2 million in effective cap space, which puts them at 17th out of the 32 teams.
Hitchens turns 30-years-old in June, so he still has some good years left in him. But the Chiefs have two young, solid linebackers in Willie Gay Jr. and second-year player Nick Bolton to carry the load. There's a lot of potential for Ben Niemann, too. The Chiefs can now make them the focal point of the second level of the defense and simultaneously save money while doing so.
And the move works schematically, as well. If the Chiefs bring back Tyrann Mathieu and Charvarius Ward, they'll have no issue running a lot of nickel packages, which typically require just one or two linebackers, anyway. Per Sports Info Solutions, the Chiefs used two or fewer linebackers and five or more defensive backs on 42% of defensive snaps in 2021.
The Dallas Cowboys initially drafted Hitchens in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He started 11 games his rookie year and continued to do so throughout his four years in Dallas. The Chiefs signed Hitchens to a five-year, $45 million deal after the 2018 season and he was a starter when the Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV.
Hitchens has appeared in 117 career games with 109 starts and has racked up 685 total tackles, 5.5 sacks, two interceptions, four forced fumbles, 38.0 tackles for loss, and 26 quarterback hits over the course of his career.
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