The Eagles have released wide receiver Jason Avant, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter). Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer first reported last month the the team was expected to part ways with the veteran receiver.
Avant, 30, had been in line for a $1MM roster bonus later this month, so the team will clear that figure from its books for 2014, as well as the receiver’s $2.25MM base salary. Overall, Avant will count for $710K in dead money rather than a $3.96MM cap number, creating $3.25MM in cap savings for Philadelphia.
Already this offseason, the Eagles have re-signed Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper, who figure to be the Nos. 2 and 3 receivers behind DeSean Jackson, so paying nearly $4MM to a fourth receiver wasn’t feasible. The team will likely replace Avant with a low-level free agent or a pick in May’s draft.
Avant, who grabbed 38 balls for 447 yards and a pair of touchdowns in 2013, will hit the open market immediately, joining this year’s class of free agent receivers. While he’s not a top-tier option, the longtime Eagle’s veteran leadership and ability to play out of the slot should make him a solid third or fourth receiver for another team.