Announcements » e Kansas City Chiefs released veteran linebacker Justin

ThHouston on Sunday after they were unable to drum up enough trade interest Terrance Smith Jersey , ending the tenure of one of the best pass rushers in club history.The Chiefs had made it clear they would trade or release Houston this offseason, primarily because of his cost. He was due $15.25 million and carried a salary cap hit of $21.1 million, numbers that would have made it nearly impossible to make other much-needed upgrades to their defense.The move means the Chiefs will free up $14 million and make the four-time Pro Bowl selection a free agent when the period begins Wednesday. The Chiefs will also take on $7.1 million in dead money.“Justin has made a lasting impact on this franchise and I can’t thank him enough for his contributions over the years,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said in a statement.“These decisions are never easy,” Veach said. “I have a great deal of respect for Justin as a player and person and I wish him and his family the best moving forward.”The 30-year-old Houston was a third-round pick of the Chiefs out of Georgia who quickly became a fan-favorite, not to mention one of the team’s most visible leaders. He wound up starting 96 of the 102 games he appeared in over eight seasons, and his best season came in 2014, when Houston shattered the franchise record with 22 sacks and was voted a first-team All-Pro.He parlayed that season into a $101 million, six-year deal in 2015 that was at the time a record for a defensive player. But he has been slowed by injuries the past four seasons, and despite continuing to pile up sacks, Houston has been unable to keep up the pace that landed him the lucrative deal.As the Chiefs try to rebuild one of the league’s worst defenses, and provide some help to one of the NFL’s best offenses, it became apparent that Houston’s days in Kansas City were numbered.“Over the last eight seasons we’ve had the ability to watch Justin grow into a leader on and off the playing field,” Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said. “His passion helped him become one the most successful pass rushers in franchise history. We appreciate his contributions to our team and community.”Houston departs Kansas City with 78 1/2 sacks Khalen Saunders Kansas City Chiefs Jerseys , trailing only Derrick Thomas (126 1/2), former teammate Tamba Hali (89 1/2) and Neil Smith (85 1/2) for the most in franchise history.He should have no shortage of suitors after seasons of 9 1/2 sacks two years ago and nine more last season, provided he convince a club that he can remain healthy. Houston has experienced with elbow and knee injuries that have allowed him to play 16 games in a season just twice.The Chiefs used their franchise tag on fellow pass rusher Dee Ford, though it’s possible they could still trade him. Other premier edge rushers that were franchised include DeMarcus Lawrence, Jadeveon Clowney and Frank Clark, and that could create a more robust market for Houston.Working against him is the fact pass rusher may be the most stacked part of April’s draft.“You can never have enough of that,” Veach said. “It’s a really intriguing class. I think it’s been mentioned multiple times throughout the first few days, the defensive line this year is really deep. There are a lot of players, pass-rushers, interior pass-rushers, run players, there’s a lot of depth at that position. I certainly think there will be a lot of names from those defensive players called early on.” KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In a jubilant locker room deep within Arrowhead Stadium, an impeccably dressed young man who looked as if he’d stepped out of a college classroom greeted Chiefs wide receiver Sammy Watkins with a brilliant smile and an enthusiastic high-five.Watkins had just had another standout performance in another Chiefs win Kansas City Chiefs Jerseys 2019 , and Brett Veach no doubt felt a bit of satisfaction that his much-panned free-agent acquisition was paying such dividends.Then again, just about everything the Chiefs’ general manager does these days turns out all right.His draft picks are thriving. His free-agent pickups have worked out brilliantly. And his myriad moves to cultivate depth and competition throughout the roster have allowed the Chiefs to deal with significant injuries while racing to an 8-1 start and take a stranglehold on the AFC West.“Brett is very, very thorough and always prepared for whatever the scenario is, whether it’s the draft or free agency or just working the roster on a week-to-week basis,” Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said recently. “He and Andy (Reid) work well together, and that’s an important part of the equation.”Indeed, when Reid was hired as the Chiefs’ coach, it was with the understanding that he would no longer handle the GM duties that bogged him down in Philadelphia. So, Hunt hired John Dorsey away from the Green Bay front office, and one of his top lieutenants was Veach, one of Reid’s protégés from Philly.Veach had joined him there when he was not yet 30, the former Delaware standout taking an entry-level job on Reid’s staff. But he quickly impressed everyone in the organization with his detail, work ethic and acumen, and he rose through the ranks before joining the front office in Kansas City.When the decision came last summer to part with Dorsey Khalen Saunders Jersey Cheap , Veach was a somewhat unexpected choice.But despite taking the reins on the eve of training camp, he nevertheless put his fingerprints on a roster that would win the division title. He traded for former first-round draft pick Cam Ervin, who now starts on the offensive line, and for Reggie Ragland, who now starts at linebacker.He made a series of moves deeper down the depth chart, too, seemingly never taking a break.Veach continued to make aggressive roster moves after the season, dealing away quarterback Alex Smith for cornerback Kendall Fuller and a draft pick and turning the job over to Patrick Mahomes.The moves have paid off in every way possible: Mahomes is off to a record-setting start to his career, the Chiefs created some much-needed salary-cap space, Fuller has been their best cornerback and the third-round pick they acquired has turned into more help for their rebuilt defense.Yes, even Veach’s draft picks have paid off.He was without a first-round selection in April because of the trade to select Mahomes last year, but he nevertheless moved adroitly around the draft board to acquire players he liked.Second-round pick Breeland Speaks has started at outside linebacker with Justin Houston hurt, and defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi and linebacker Dorian O’Daniel have been regulars as third-round picks. Safety Armani Watts was pushing for a starting job before landing on injured reserve earlier this year, and sixth-round pick Tremon Smith has been a special teams standout.“Going back to last year Khalen Saunders Jersey Womens ,” Hunt said, “I was impressed with the short amount of time that he had to make some changes going into the 2017 season that ultimately really had an impact. That wasn’t something I was expecting. And Brett’s now had a full offseason, a draft and free agency, and he’s made a lot of moves, and I think we’re seeing the fruit of his labor this year.”It’s not just the moves Veach has made, either. He’s also shown patience to stand pat when nothing suits his liking, such as he did when the trade deadline passed without a peep.“He’s not going to do something just to do it to appease. He’s going to do what’s best for the Chiefs, and he’s really good about that,” Reid said. “That’s just where he’s at.”So far, his best has been nearly perfect.100<button class="view-gallery">View Gallery</button> Gallery:View from the sidelines: NFL cheerleaders 2018Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports | Raj Mehta