Chiefs' Derrick Johnson: Accepts pay cut to free up cap space

Johnson (Achilles) accepted a pay cut to stay with the Chiefs, ESPN's Field Yates reports.

Analysis:

This move frees up approximately $4.25 million in 2017 cap space for a Chiefs team that doesn't have much wiggle room. The pay cut probably wasn't a tough decision for Johnson, who hopes to be ready for training camp despite rupturing his Achilles in Week 14. He suffered the same injury in Week 1 of 2014 and bounced back to play all 16 games in 2015, but he's now two years older and won't have as much time to recover before the start of the season. If healthy, the 34-year-old projects as one of Kansas City's starting inside linebackers -- as has been the case every season since he was drafted in the first round in 2005.