The Arizona Cardinals have released defensive lineman Darnell Dockett, the team announced Friday. Dockett came into this offseason as one of the two longest-tenured players in Arizona alongside wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, and the Cardinals needed to address both contract situations.
Cardinals release Darnell Dockett
The Arizona Cardinals have parted ways with the player they drafted in the third round in 2004, over a decade ago.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Fitzgerald wound up restructuring his deal to remain in Arizona at a reasonable cap number, but Dockett’s situation wasn’t resolved in the same fashion. Dockett was entering the final year of a five-year contract and was due to make $6.55 million with a cap figure of just under $10 million.
The Cardinals cleared some serious cap room with Fitzgerald's restructure and didn't necessarily need the cap room, but Dockett will be 34 when the 2015 season gets underway, and he's coming off an ACL injury that forced him out of last season. Frostee Rucker, Tommy Kelly and other players filled in well along the defensive line, and the defense was definitely the strength of the Cardinals last season.
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Dockett has been with the Cardinals since 2004, when he was drafted the same year as Fitzgerald. He’s been a leader and a force on that defense for a long time, and will certainly be able to find a new team for 2015. That said, the Cardinals team website says that “the veteran defensive lineman could still come back, however.” In other words, the Cardinals want Dockett back -- and have been adamant that they want him to retire in Arizona -- but only after he finds the market isn’t as strong for him as he might think.
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