Chiefs releasing Joe Mays means inside linebacker is a bigger need

The Kansas City Chiefs announced the release of inside linebacker Joe Mays, which saves the team about $2.7 million in salary cap space for the 2015 season. With free agency around the corner, the Chiefs needed that cap space.

As usual the Internet reacted to the Chiefs news. This comment from our old pal KaloPhoenix sums it up for me:

Also: if the #Chiefs didn't need an ILB bad enough before, that gap just got a lot bigger.

— PhaloKenix (@barleyhop) March 5, 2015

Inside linebacker is a major need for the Chiefs. Mays is gone and Derrick Johnson is coming off of an Achilles injury. If you look at how the Chiefs have drafted over the last two years -- picking Eric Fisher before Branden Albert left and picking Dee Ford before Tamba Hali (eventually) leaves -- it makes sense to predict an inside linebacker for the Chiefs in the NFL Draft. Free agency, which starts on March 10, could also help us answer some of these questions.

More reactions to the release of Joe Mays:

Cutting Joe Mays saves $2.7M for #Chiefs. Surprised they didnt cut him sooner

— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) March 5, 2015

Never did get the Joe Mays signing for that amount of money. ILB has to be a priority for the Chiefs this offseason. Has to be.

— Christopher Hansen (@ChrisHansenNFL) March 5, 2015

Hate to see Mays go. Injury never gave him a chance to make an impact last yr #Chiefs

— Joe Dice (@pulseofdachiefs) March 5, 2015

Now comes the part where Chiefs fans pretend they weren't happy about the Mays signing last year.

— Bill Vaughn (@bvaughnMO) March 5, 2015

Joe Mays signing pissed me off because you knew it was bad. A year later, Dorsey admits to it. #Chiefs

— Lawrence (@KC_Fan10) March 5, 2015

nobody expected joe mays to be a star in KC but it's still one of the more disappointing Chiefs FA signings in a while

— Pubescent Youtuber (@Yelix) March 5, 2015