The Atlanta Falcons released cornerback Asante Samuel and linebacker Stephen Nicholas today.
The moves create an additional $6.5 million in salary cap room with the Falcons set to enter free agency on March 11.
Samuel was scheduled to make $5.2 million in 2014 and will save the Falcons $4.5 million on the salary cap. Nicholas was set make $4 million and will save the Falcons $2 million the salary cap.
Falcons general manager Thomas Dimtroff, in an exclusive interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution at the Super Bowl, said the team was ready to start making moves as soon as the rosters were unfrozen on Feb. 3 by the league office.
He foreshadowed these moves.
“I don’t know if we can parallel the two years because this is a very different offseason than last season,” Dimitroff said. “Suffice it to say, we’ll be very mindful of our assessment of the readiness of some of our young players to potentially move into starting roles. Yes, there will be moves. There will be adjustments. …there will be strong moves and there will be legitimate adjustments.”
Also, Scott Pioli, the team’s new assistant general manager, officially started work this week.
Samuel, 5-10, 185 pounds, spent two seasons with the Falcons and notched 70 tackles (62 solo) with six interceptions and 20 passes defensed. Samuel was originally selected by the New England Patriots in the fourth round (120th overall) of the 2003 NFL draft.
The Falcons drafted cornerbacks Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford in the first and second rounds last season. Both played well, with Trufant being named to the PFWA’s all-rookie team.
Nicholas, 6-3, 236 pounds, played in 101 games with 51 starts in seven seasons with the Falcons. He logged 397 total tackles (284 solo) with 10 sacks, two interceptions, five forced fumbles, and 12 passes defensed. Nicholas was selected by the Falcons in the fourth round (109th overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft.
He was phased out of the lineup last season as he was playing behind undrafted rookies Joplo Bartu and Paul Worrilow.
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