The Kansas City Chiefs just cut a guy who played 87.2 percent of their defensive snaps this season.
There's context here, of course.
The Chiefs announced Tuesday they have waived safety Ron Parker while activating offensive guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif from injured reserve ahead of Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Patriots.
Only cornerbacks Steven Nelson and Kendall Fuller played more during the regular season than Parker, who stepped up amid injuries to Eric Berry and Daniel Sorenson. But with Sorenson returning in Week 10 and Jordan Lucas and Eric Murray emerging as productive players in the secondary, the 31-year-old Parker has taken a back seat late in the season and played just eight defensive snaps in the AFC Divisional Round against the Indianapolis Colts.
Most importantly, the Chiefs get back a key offensive lineman in Duvernay-Tardif, who started Kansas City's first five games at right guard before fracturing his fibula. It's still unclear if Duvernay-Tardif will be ready to play Sunday, but he's a four-year starter who could provide a boost up front if Kansas City needs to rely on the run game in Sunday's arctic conditions.
Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.