Saturday 28 February 2015 17:44, UK
The Arizona Cardinals have released veteran defensive tackle Darnell Dockett after an 11-year stint with the club.
Dockett- who was out for all of 2014 with an ACL tear that he suffered during training camp – would reportedly have earned $6.8m in 2015. This included $6.55m of base salary and a $250,000 work bonus, according to Sportrac.com.
If Dockett had stayed, it would have cost the Cardinals over $6.8m in salary cap space- something they weren’t willing to risk.
Dockett’s cutting is the latest in a line of veterans cut, with A.J. Hawk, Reggie Bush, Mathias Kiwanuka, De’Angelo Williams and Jacoby Jones all saying goodbye to their various clubs in recent days.
He had played in all but two of his games during his career in Arizona, where he had 459 tackles, 40.5 sacks, seven forced fumbles, and 12 fumble recoveries.
Dockett was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2007, 2009 and 2010.
He signed a four-year contract extension with the Cardinals in 2010, which was worth up to $48m, with $30m of that money guaranteed. He was drafted as a third-round pick by the Cardinals in 2004 from Florida State.
However, the Cardinals have said that Dockett’s return may well be an option for both sides.
“We have been very clear about our feelings for Darnell and our desire to have him back," a statement from Cardinals GM Steve Keim said.
"After speaking with him and his representatives, we decided that this move today makes the most sense for both the team and the player and allows each to keep all of its options open."
