Former Chiefs lineman Jaye Howard passes physical but leaves Bears without deal

Former Chiefs defensive lineman Jaye Howard passed a physical with the Chicago Bears and received an offer but left without a deal, a source confirmed to The Star.

The Chiefs released Howard, 28, with a failed physical designation a few days before the 2017 NFL Draft.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who reported the news first, also said Howard plans other visits, too.

The Chiefs have reason to care about where he ends up. They guaranteed $2.5 million of Howard’s $3.7 million salary for 2017 on the third day of the league year, but his contract states that if he signs with another team in 2017, they’ll be off the hook for the amount for which he signs.

So if Howard were to make, say, $1 million with another team in 2017, the Chiefs’ dead money from his release would be reduced from $5 million to $4 million, thus creating $2.375 million in cap space instead of $1.375 million.

The Chiefs could, per their contract with Howard, create up to $2.5 million in additional cap space if he were to sign elsewhere for at least that amount, according to salary-cap expert Joel Corry. The signing did not need to occur before the draft to provide the Chiefs some cap relief.

Howard was limited to eight games in 2016 due to a hip injury that landed him on injured reserve midway through the season. He recorded 23 tackles and a sack and started four games