Chiefs release receivers Donnie Avery and A.J. Jenkins

The Chiefs officially began their remolding of their 2015 roster on Tuesday, as the team formally announced the release of receivers Donnie Avery and A.J. Jenkins on the eve of the annual scouting combine.

By releasing both, the Chiefs created approximately $4.8 million in 2015 cap room. Prior to the moves, cap analyst Joel Corry projected the Chiefs as having less than a million in cap space (with a projected cap of $142 million).

The decision to release each player — both of whom were a part of a receiving corps that failed to score a single receiver touchdown this season — is not surprising, due to the production and injury issues that plagued each player in 2014.

After Avery caught 40 passes for 596 yards and two touchdowns as a free-agent signing in 2013, a core muscle injury kept him out for most of 2014 season, and he just wasn’t the same when he returned in late November.

Shortly after his return, promising rookie receiver Albert Wilson began pulling off a reasonable Avery impression, as he finished the year with 16 catches for 260 yards while showing the kind of downfield speed the Chiefs missed when Avery was out.

The 30-year-old Avery — who Wilson credited for being one of the veterans who aided his development — finished the season with 15 catches for 176 yards.

Other than Wilson, however, one of the primary beneficiaries of Avery’s core muscle injury, which he suffered against the New England Patriots in week four, was Jenkins. Initially, at least.

Jenkins, a 25-year-old former first-round pick who was acquired from the San Francisco 49ers before the 2013 season in exchange for Jon Baldwin, earned more playing time after Avery’s injury and even made two starts. But he still finished with nine catches for 93 yards in nine games before he, too, was lost for the season with a shoulder injury.

In his two years with the Chiefs, Jenkins caught 17 passes for 223 yards. Baldwin caught three passes for 28 yards in seven games with the 49ers before he was released in August. He is currently a free agent.

With the moves, the Chiefs now have seven receivers under contract for 2015: Wilson, Dwayne Bowe, Fred Williams, Armon Binns, Corbin Louks and Da’Rick Rogers.

This story was originally published February 17, 2015 at 1:51 PM with the headline "Chiefs release receivers Donnie Avery and A.J. Jenkins."