One way or another, the Kansas City Chiefs were set on completely unloading Jeremy Maclin's contract.
Prior to releasing the playmaking wide receiver Friday, a move that took the entire football world by surprise, the Chiefs had set out in search of a potential trade partner, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports.
At no point in that process did the team approach Maclin about taking a pay cut, Garafolo adds.
Related: 5 potential landing spots for Jeremy Maclin
Cutting Maclin, and the majority of what remains on the five-year, $55-million contract he signed in 2015, clears $10 million against the salary cap this season.
The bold move to part ways with their No. 1 receiver and turn things over to an inexperienced group at the position certainly shakes things up for the Kansas City offense.
Maclin, limited to 12 games while struggling through injuries, managed just 536 yards and two touchdowns last season.
Teams interested in his services will hope that a fresh start can help him to recapture the form he enjoyed in his debut year with the Chiefs, where he racked up 87 catches for 1,088 yards and eight scores across 15 starts.
