The Kansas City Chiefs have been without their starting quarterback for more than a week, but they’re not done yet.
The Chiefs have decided that they will need to make a change.
That’s because on Monday the team released tight end Chris Givens, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.
The team also released linebacker Travis Johnson, according the source.
Johnson was waived Monday by the Seattle Seahawks and re-signed with the Chiefs last month.
He signed a two-year deal worth $1.5 million, according NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.
Johnson will become a free agent in March.
He was one of several players released by the Chiefs Monday.
The move came after Kansas City failed to make any moves Monday on the depth chart.
The team was without starting defensive end David Amerson, cornerback Marcus Cooper, linebacker DeAndre Levy, cornerback Darian Stewart and safety Josh Mauro.
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The Kansas City locker room was split into factions, with Johnson and defensive lineman Alex Balducci having more influence in the decision-making process.
The Chiefs are in need of depth in the secondary, and it was Johnson who was the top target of the team’s free-agent shopping spree.
The 26-year-old was signed in January 2016.
The decision to release Johnson came after the team lost its starting quarterback to a season-ending knee injury in a 23-23 tie in Sunday’s 27-24 win over the New England Patriots.
Kansas City had lost five of six to open the season.
Johnson had been with the team since 2011.
He had started every game during that span.
Johnson is in the second year of a four-year, $30 million contract with the Kansas City.
He made $1 million in 2016, $1,700,000 in 2017 and $1-2 million in 2018.
Johnson played his college ball at Oregon State, where he played for coach Chip Kelly.
The 6-foot-3, 245-pounder has had multiple surgeries on his knee and ankle in recent years.
He also had reconstructive knee surgery in 2013.
Johnson has appeared in 12 career regular-season games for the Kansas, and has started the past two.
In 2016, he made a season opening kick for the Seahawks.