EARTH CITY, Mo. -- In search of some much-needed salary cap space heading toward free agency, the St. Louis Rams released defensive tackle Kendall Langford on Thursday afternoon.
Parting ways with Langford saves the Rams a total of $6 million against the 2015 salary cap. A league source said the door for Langford to return to the Rams was left open, but that Langford would seek a starting job elsewhere first.
Langford took to Twitter to thank the Rams for his time with the team:
Thanks for the well wishes and a huge thank you to the @STLouisRams for the opportunity to play for such a great Organization! #ramsnation
— Kendall Langford (@KendallLangford) February 26, 2015It's the lack of a starting position in St. Louis that made Langford expendable. Langford was a starter in his first two seasons with the Rams after signing a four-year, $22 million deal to leave Miami in 2012.
But the emergence of defensive rookie of the year Aaron Donald eventually forced the Rams hand. Donald claimed the starting job in Week 6 against San Francisco.
From there, Langford's snaps dipped to an average of 27.6 over the season's final 12 games after he played 34 per game in the first four contests. With less playing time, Langford's production dropped to 25 tackles and one sack in 2014.
Langford was due to count $7 million against next year's cap with a base salary of $6 million. In releasing him, the Rams will save all of the base salary while carrying $1 million in "dead" money as the only piece left from his initial $4 million signing bonus.
After leaving the Dolphins for the Rams in 2012, Langford started all 16 games in his first two seasons in St. Louis. He set career highs in tackles (49) and sacks (five) in 2013.