The Kansas City Chiefs and edge rusher Mike Danna could be heading towards a breakup this offseason.
FOX Sports’ Greg Auman believes Danna is Kansas City’s top cut candidate. The Chiefs would save nearly $9 million by moving on from the veteran defender.
“Danna has gone full circle, from overachieving fifth-round pick to overpaid veteran. It’s only $2 million in dead cap to move on from him, and you can’t pay $8 million for a player barely giving rotational production,” Auman said.
Danna rose to prominence in 2023 by tallying 6.5 sacks and 47 quarterback pressures in 16 starts. His performance that year earned him a three-year extension worth $24 million from the Chiefs.
However, Danna has fallen off a cliff over the last two years and is no longer an effective starting-level pass rusher for Kansas City.
If the Chiefs cut Danna, the San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, and Detroit Lions should have interest.
Danna isn’t even an average starter anymore, but the 28-year-old can still be an effective rotational pass rusher who would provide high-level depth for any team in their edge rusher group.
San Francisco, Green Bay, and Detroit all have major needs at the edge. The 49ers need to add another impactful presence opposite Nick Bosa, while the Packers may move on from Rashan Gary in the coming weeks and will need to find a replacement.
As for the Lions, Al-Quadin Muhammad is set to hit free agency and could leave the team after posting a breakout campaign in 2025 with 11 sacks.
Danna wouldn’t fix San Francisco, Green Bay, or Detroit’s issues on the defensive line, but the two-time Super Bowl champion would add valuable veteran experience and depth to one of the NFC contenders.
