The bill has come due in Kansas City, and Patrick Mahomes is losing one of his key protectors because of it. One such choice saw a Super Bowl winner getting released from the franchise. Although a tough decision, it ultimately helped the Chiefs.

“The #Chiefs are releasing former starting OT Jawaan Taylor, creating some much-needed cap space, source says,” reported Ian Rapoport on X. “Due a $27.4M cap hit, Taylor’s absence creates breathing room.”

The Chiefs are one of the many teams that have spent over their cap space. So, to return within the legal bounds, player cuts and contract restructures are the two most used weapons in the NFL.

The Chiefs have opted to use the former. Although cutting Taylor did provide them a relief of $27.4 million in cap hit, they are still a bit over $8.5 million, as per Spotrac.

Jawaan Taylor began his NFL career in 2019, when the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted him. The University of Florida alumnus joined the Chiefs in 2023, winning the Super Bowl that year.

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Since joining the Chiefs, he has played 45 games, starting in all of them, trying to protect quarterback Patrick Mahomes from getting sacked. Unfortunately, as the situation calls for, he is no longer a Chiefs player.

Considering all the pros and cons, the release saves the Chiefs $20 million against the cap. While Taylor has been an integral part of the franchise, his form has been a major issue for them.

Penalties had become a habit for Jawaan Taylor

Jawaan Taylor has been one of the trusted guys to protect Patrick Mahomes. But the 28-year-old right tackle has had continual problems with giving away penalties since coming to Kansas City.

Taylor’s time in Kansas City began under heavy scrutiny. His debut season was marred by a barrage of penalties, as he finished with a league-leading 24 infractions (21 accepted), many stemming from illegal formations and false starts. According to Pro Football Focus, he committed six more penalties than any other player that year, immediately putting his discipline under the microscope.

The trend did not fade with time. In 2024, Taylor again found himself at the top of the charts, tying for the league lead with 19 penalties, before adding 13 more flags in just 12 games last season, the third-most in the NFL.

Altogether, Taylor was penalized 49 times (41 accepted) across 45 games as a Chief, the highest total by any offensive lineman over that span, reinforcing a pattern Kansas City could never fully escape.

Last season, Taylor had numerous penalties to his name, registering four penalties against the Chargers in Week 1. He earned criticism from the media and the fans.

With such problems, it likely proved to be a burden for head coach Andy Reid to keep him. Moreover, the Chiefs are coming off a 6-11 season, their worst record in a decade.

Although this decision may not solely be due to his performances, the Chiefs were not ready to spend such a massive cap hit on him. Amid the Travis Kelce saga taking a new turn, this is something new for the franchise. It remains to be seen how the Chiefs tackle free agency and draft, while addressing their cap hit issues.