On Wednesday, the Arizona Cardinals released veteran linebacker Jordan Hicks.
Hicks, 29, played at a high level last season, recording 116 tackles and four sacks, but the Cardinals are moving to give last year’s first-round linebacker Zaven Collins more playing time.
The Cardinals told Collins he would start last season after they selected him 16th overall. Hicks said he was “pissed off” last year when he was first told he lost his starting job because of Collins. He requested a trade that never came through, and the seven-year veteran ended up starting all 17 games.
By being released now, Hicks will be able to sign with another team before free agency officially begins next week. The move would save the Cardinals $6.5 million on their salary cap, but would also leave $3 million of dead money on their books.
Hicks signed with the Cardinals in 2019 and had over 100 tackles in all three seasons with Arizona, including a career-best 150 in his first year.
He spent the first four seasons of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles, who selected him in the third round of the 2015 draft. He missed 21 regular season games due to various injuries during his tenure with the Eagles, but did not miss a game (all starts) in his three seasons with the Cardinals.
Hicks has 638 tackles, 10.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles and 11 interceptions.