The 11-year relationship between wide receiver Roddy White and the Atlanta Falcons has officially come to an end.
Atlanta announced on Wednesday afternoon that it has released the four-time Pro Bowler and franchise’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
In making the announcement, Falcons owner Arthur Blank had this to say:
“It is always a challenge to balance how we feel about a particular player with the implications of the salary cap, as well as the clear commitment we have to our fans and stakeholders to assemble a championship-caliber roster each and every year,” Blank said in a statement, via the team’s official website . “After a lot of discussion with Thomas (Dimitroff), Dan (Quinn), and others, the difficult decision we’ve made today was ultimately driven by the need to address some key areas on our roster and ultimately to meet that commitment.”
White ends his Falcons career as one of the best players in the history of the franchise. He put up six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons from 2007-12, earning the respect of defenses throughout the league.
Though, the 34-year-old receiver has fallen out of favor recently. Due to a combination of diminishing skills and decreased playing time, White recorded just 43 receptions for 506 yards and a touchdown in 2015.
It was his worst statistical season since he was a sophomore back in 2006.
Set to count $6.1 million against the cap in 2016, Atlanta saves $2.3 million by releasing White.
It remains to be seen exactly what type of market there will be for a receiver in White that is averaging just 713 yards over the past three seasons.
Ultimately, it will come down to contending teams looking to add depth at wide receiver. That’s if there is any real interest in the veteran.