Kansas City Chiefs release DL Jaye Howard

The Kansas City Chiefs released defensive lineman Jaye Howard, according to multiple reports Saturday.

Howard, 28, spent the last four seasons with the Chiefs and was scheduled to make $3.7 million in base salary in 2017, including $2.5 million in guarantees.

The Chiefs released Howard now in part because they want him to sign with another team in order to get some offset money and recover part of the $2.5 million guaranteed salary, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The 6-foot-3, 301-pound Howard appeared in eight games (four starts) with the Chiefs in 2016, making 23 tackles and one sack. He suffered a hip injury in November and was placed on season-ending injured reserve on Dec. 1 .

Howard recorded 122 tackles and 7.5 sacks in 43 games with the Chiefs. He entered the NFL as a fourth-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks in 2012, playing only two games as a rookie. He was waived before his second season and picked up by the Chiefs.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid gave an update on Howard's recovery from hip surgery as recently as Monday.

"He's actually been rehabbing in Orlando with the surgeon that did his work there, and he's doing well," Reid told the Kansas City Star.