As expected, the Ravens officially have terminated the contract of cornerback Domonique Foxworth. The team announced the move on Monday afternoon.
“We appreciate all Domonique did for us the past three years, both with his play and his important leadership off the field,” G.M. Ozzie Newsome said. “This does not preclude us from bringing back Domonique at a later date.”
The move creates $5.6 million in 2012 cap space. Foxworth was entering the final year of his contract.
In 2010, Foxworth tore an ACL during training camp. Foxworth complained about lingering problems with the knee in 2011, and the Ravens eventually put him on injured reserve again.
Widely believed to be DeMaurice Smith’s hand-picked selection to succeed NFLPA president Kevin Mawae, Foxworth will face the more immediate challenge of finding a new team.
Regarded as a highly-skilled defensive back, Foxworth surely will find a demand for his services if his knee is healthy. Regardless of the duration of his playing career, he is expected to become a key component of NFLPA leadership.
The move makes it even more important for the Ravens to find a way to keep cornerback Lardarius Webb, who could draw significant interest as a restricted free agents. The Ravens are expected to use a first-round RFA tender on Webb, but given his performance in the 2011 postseason, a team like the Patriots should be more than willing to give up a first-round draft pick to get him.