NFL free agency: Chiefs release WR Jeremy Maclin

The Chiefs have released wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, the team announced on Friday.

Maclin, an eight-year NFL veteran, had 44 receptions for 536 yards and two touchdowns in 2016.

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"These decisions are never easy, especially with a player like Jeremy who I’ve grown close with on and off the football field over the years,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said in the release. “I have a lot of respect for the way he goes about his business and how he handles himself as a professional. I wish him the best of luck moving forward.”

Maclin later responded to the news on Twitter:

Since Maclin was cut after June 1, the move saves $10 million in cap space. Maclin, in the third year of a five-year deal signed with Kansas City in 2015, was set to make $9.75 million in base salary for the 2017 season, with a $250,000 workout bonus. He was set to make a combined $21.5 million in base salary over the 2018 and '19 seasons.

In two seasons, Maclin caught 131 passes for 1,624 yards and 10 touchdowns. His 2016 totals (44 receptions, 536 yards and two touchdowns) were all career-lows. He played in and started 12 games in 2016. He earned Pro Bowl honors in 2014, making 85 catches for 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns. That came a year after he suffered an ACL tear in 2013, costing him the entire season.