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Associated Press 10y

Eagles release 19, including K Henery

NFL, Philadelphia Eagles, Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins

PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia Eagles parted ways with veteran placekicker Alex Henery, the team's fourth-round draft pick in 2011, and opted for rookie kicker Cody Parkey.

Henery was one of 19 players released as coach Chip Kelly pared his Eagles roster to the regular-season limit of 53 on Saturday.

Among those also released were cornerbacks Curtis Marsh and Roc Carmichael, both of whom were on the 2013 roster; running backs Matthew Tucker and Henry Josey; quarterback G.J. Kinne; wide receivers Damaris Johnson, Ifeanyi Momah, Will Murphy and Quaron Pratt; linebackers Emmanuel Acho and Josh Kaddu; defensive tackles Wade Kelikipi and Damion Square; offensive linemen Kevin Graf and Josh Andrews; running back Kenjon Barner (waived/injured); and safeties Keelan Johnson and Ed Reynolds, a fifth-round draft pick.

Wide receiver Arrelious Benn is headed to injured reserve for the third straight year and second with the Eagles with a lower back injury. Linebacker Travis Long is also headed to IR with a torn ACL suffered in Thursday night's preseason win over the New York Jets.

Tackle Lane Johnson, the team's first-round draft pick in 2013, is on the suspended list for the first four games after testing positive for banned substances and does not count against the 53-man roster.

The move to part ways with Henery was expected. He set an Eagles' accuracy record on field-goal attempts in 2011 by hitting on 88.9 percent and had the fourth-best percentage in team history in 2012 at 87.1 percent. But he missed a key field-goal attempt in last year's 26-24 playoff loss to the New Orleans Saints. He also missed two attempts this preseason, including a 31-yarder against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"Everything happens for a reason, that's how I'm approaching it," Henery said. "(Parkey) had a great day. He was hitting the ball well."

Parkey, acquired in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts, kicked for the first time for the Eagles on Thursday night against the Jets and hit field goals from 54 and 53 yards to cement his spot on the final roster.

"I'd love to stay here," Parkey said Thursday night. "I think I did pretty well, but it's not up to me anymore. I did what I could and we'll see what happens from here."

Parkey signed as an undrafted rookie with the Colts, even though the team had perennial Pro Bowl kicker Adam Vinatieri on the roster.

"You've heard of him, huh?" Parkey said with a smile. "When I was there, I was trying to make the team, just like here. If I was able to do something and make another team take notice, that was fine, too. And that's what happened."

Henery and Marsh, a third-round pick, were both part of the 2011 draft class that just has another fourth-round pick linebacker Casey Matthews and sixth-round pick center Jason Kelce left from it. First-round pick Danny Watkins was released in 2013 and second-round pick Jaiquawn Jarrett was released in 2012.

The only one of the team's seven draft picks from this year to not make the roster was Reynolds, a fifth-round pick out of Stanford.

There are also 30 players on the 53-man roster who have been brought in under Kelly the past two years, leaving just 23 players from former head coach Andy Reid.

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