Giants ditch Cruz, Jennings

The New York Giants cleared roughly $10 million in salary-cap space by releasing longtime fan favorite Victor Cruz and starting running back Rashad Jennings.

The team announced the moves yesterday after the two helped the Giants get back into the playoffs for the first time since the 2011 Super Bowl.

Cruz, 30, joined the Giants as a free agent out of UMass in 2010 and his game-breaking ability as wide receiver helped them win their second Super Bowl. A knee injury and a calf problem caused him to missed most of the 2014 season and all of the following season. He returned this year but was limited to 39 catches and one touchdown.

Jennings joined the Giants as a free agent in 2014, after four seasons with Jacksonville and one with Oakland. In three years, he played in 40 games and rushed for 2,095 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also had 94 receptions for 723 yards and two scores.

Chiefs’ moves

The Kansas City Chiefs promoted Brad Childress to assistant head coach and announced that Matt Nagy will take over as the sole offensive coordinator in a minor shake-up of Andy Reid’s staff. Childress and Nagy served as co-offensive coordinators last season.

Childress takes over from David Culley, who left to be the quarterbacks coach in Buffalo. Nagy began his coaching career with Reid in Philadelphia, then followed him to KC as the quarterbacks coach. . . .

San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan added three assistants. Mike McDaniel will be the run game specialist, Mike LaFleur the wide receivers coach and Taylor Embree the offensive quality control coach. McDaniel and LaFleur both worked in Atlanta last year with Shanahan when he was offensive coordinator.

Not guilty plea

Green Bay Packers receiver Geronimo Allison pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge. The charge stems from a traffic stop in September in Manitowoc County. Allison emerged in the last two games of the season with eight catches for 157 yards and a score.