Cullen Jenkins Cut By Eagles

According to the Philadelphia Eagles, they have cut defensive tackle, Cullen Jenkins. The former Green Bay Packer came to Philadelphia in the famed "Free Agency Splurge of 2011." Now, he joins Demetress Bell as a cap casualty. Jenkins is an 8-year veteran, who was brought in to be a leader on the defense line and as with most of the 2011 offseason, things just did not work out.

"I had a chance to speak with Cullen today and let him know of our decision," said Eagles GM Roseman. "It's one of the most difficult parts of the job. He has been a very productive player in this league for a long time but we felt it in our team's best interests that we go in a different direction. By releasing him at this point, it gives he and his agent more time to sign on with another team. We wish Cullen and his family all the best as he continues his NFL career."

Here is a look at Jenkin's career numbers:

As you can see, he was a full-time starter with the Eagles and had solid sack numbers for a defensive tackle, but still it seemed like he disappeared from games at times. It has been well-publicized how much the Packers have missed him since he left, so it is likely he would head back to Green Bay following his release.

For the Eagles, this is a bit of an odd move. Jenkins restructured his contract last year and was good veteran depth for the team. He also has a background in the 3-4, which would have been beneficial considering the apparent scheme switch under Billy Davis. Also, many thought it would be Nnamdi Asomaugha to get canned before anyone else. Turns out most were wrong.

This move could speak volumes about how the team feels about Fletcher Cox and Cedric Thornton, both of whom, are likely to start (Cox definitely will) on the defensive line. Thornton has shown flashes at times and an ability to stop the run. He also played at the 5-technique in college, so he had experience there.

What do you think about this move? Should the Eagles kept Jenkins for the 3-4 switch?

[Note by JasonB, 02/25/13 1:36 PM EST ] The Eagles will reportedly save $5.6 million in cap room with this move. For a team in rebuild mode, there is certainly a pretty compelling argument to be made for freeing up resources for younger building blocks.

The Eagles will gain $5.6M in cap room by releasing Cullen Jenkins. He had a $1M 3rd day of the '13 league year roster bonus.

— Joel Corry (@corryjoel) February 25, 2013

[Note by JasonB, 02/25/13 2:42 PM EST ] One more little contract bit. The offset language in Jenkins' contract is a lot like what Michael Vick's guarantee was. The $1.5 million in bonus he still had will only count against the Eagles cap if he doesn't get that money elsewhere, which he will.