Chris Crocker, who started all 16 regular-season games and a playoff game at safety for the Bengals last season, has been released.
The team announced this morning that the 32-year-old Crocker was cut after four seasons in Cincinnati. Crocker would have cost $2.5 million against the Bengals’ salary cap this year, although the Bengals have plenty of cap space and could have afforded to keep him if they had wanted to.
Crocker was drafted by the Browns in 2003 and played there for three years. He also played for the Falcons in 2006 and 2007 and the Dolphins for six games in 2008. He now becomes an unrestricted free agent.
Cincinnati is expected to address the safety position in the NFL draft.