The reality of business in the NFL can be cruel.
Falcons starting right tackle Tyson Clabo experienced that at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, when he received the call that he would be released after eight years with the team.
The only starting right tackle that quarterback Matt Ryan knows is looking for employment.
“We’re really disappointed,” said Clabo, who returned a call from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution while driving to the office to meet coach Mike Smith and general manager Thomas Dimitroff. “This was unexpected.”
After bumping around the league as an undrafted player from Wake Forest, Clabo broke into the Falcons’ starting lineup in 2006 under former coach Jim Mora and turned into a Pro Bowler.
Clabo, 31, began as a right guard, but was moved to right tackle in 2007. He’s been a mainstay, starting 101 regular-season and five playoff games.
“We’re really disappointed, but at the same time we’re excited about new experiences,” said Clabo, who had brief stints with the Denver Broncos and the New York Giants before landing with the Falcons. “We’ll have to see where we go from here. This was definitely unexpected.”
As the Falcons prepare to sign Ryan to a long-term deal, Clabo became the latest veteran released for salary-cap reasons.
On March 1, the Falcons released running back Michael Turner, defensive end John Abraham and cornerback Dunta Robinson in order to create room to re-sign some of their own free agents.
The Clabo move, which was announced as a post-June 1 cut, will save the team $4.5 million. The team currently is $2.9 million under the salary cap. Ryan could become a free agent after next season without a new deal if the team doesn’t elect to put the franchise tag on him.
The team would prefer to get the deal done because the cost of the franchise tag would be prohibitive.
With the release of Clabo, the Falcons are thin at tackle. In addition to releasing Clabo, Will Svitek, the backup tackle in 2011, signed with New England in free agency.
Last season, rookie Lamar Holmes and Mike Johnson were the primary backup tackles. Neither has started a game in the NFL at right tackle. They likely will battle for the vacant starting position.
“This is a big opportunity,” said Holmes, who was with NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith at the King Center on Thursday. “Tyson Clabo is a great player, a leader and teacher. Tyson taught me a lot of different things, including some of the little ins and outs of the game. Just some little tricks to make things better blocking-wise.”
Holmes was a third-round pick out of Southern Mississippi last year and suffered a stress fracture in his foot that slowed his development. He spent most of last season working at left tackle behind Sam Baker.
“I’m ready to do whatever the team needs me to do,” Holmes said. “If they want me to play right side, I’ll play the right side.”
Clabo, one of the more colorful members of the team, made the Pro Bowl after the 2010 season, when the Falcons claimed the NFC South title.
While pleasant off the field, Clabo was noted for his mean and nasty style of play. He was a regular in several “dirtiest player in the league” polls.
Also, Clabo served as the team’s union representative during the 2011 lockout.
Note: The Falcons announced a partial exhibition schedule Thursday, with their opener set for 8 p.m. Aug. 8 (a Thursday) against Cincinnati at the Georgia Dome.
The second game is at Baltimore, and the third game is at Tennessee. Dates and times for those games have not been set.
The Falcons will conclude the exhibition season at home against Jacksonville on Aug. 29, time to be determined.
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