NFL Transactions, Thursday 2/26

It's an interesting dichotomy when the next year's free agency period approaches on the NFL calendar. Both front offices and fan bases get excited at the potential new faces that could come to their team and bring an impact. Yet, in the days leading up to the spending spree, some castoffs give stark reminders as to how free agency shouldn't be conducted.

The St. Louis Rams are headed towards an interesting offseason for a variety of reasons, and they made an early move right away. On Thursday, the team released veteran defensive lineman, Kendall Langford. He signed there during the 2012 offseason, to the tune of a four-year deal worth $22 million after leaving the Dolphins. Langford has played in every game over seven seasons since entering the NFL.

If Langford sounds familiar to Bengaldom, he should. Cincinnati courted him heavily that same offseason, only to lose out to the Rams. He's a big guy at 6'6", 313 pounds that has rolled around the line as a defensive tackle and end. He netted eight sacks in three seasons with St. Louis, but saw his playing time drop dramatically in 2014 because of the emergence of rookie Aaron Donald. The move saves the Rams $6 million in cap space and though they are open to re-signing him back as a reserve guy, it's believed that Langford will try and find a starting-type of role.

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The Jacksonville Jaguars, who are believed to have the most 2015 salary cap space, released veteran cornerback Will Blackmon. The move saves the team just under $1 million in space. The nine-year veteran missed the second half of the 2014 season and finished with just one interception in his two seasons down south.

Blackmon has had stops in Green Bay and New York with the Giants before landing with Jacksonville. Ironically, the one interception he had with the Jaguars is the only one of his career to this point.

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Another veteran tight end has hit the open market, as the Kansas City Chiefs released Anthony Fasano on Thursday. He spent the last two seasons with the Chiefs, amassing seven touchdown grabs in that time (four in 2014). Fasano has had a productive career since coming to the NFL in the second round via the Dallas Cowboys.

The move saves $1.96 million in cap space for the Chiefs, who might be looking to add some talent at wide receiver this offseason. Kansas City held the dubious distinction of not having a wide receiver catch a touchdown pass last year.

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Other news and notes:

--Titans offensive tackle Michael Roos retired.

--Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy plans on appealing his suspension after similar news that surrounded Vikings running back Adrian Peterson hit the news wire on Thursday.

--Defensive lineman Ricky Jean-Francois signed a three-year, $9 million deal that could be worth up to $11.25 million with the Redskins. He was recently released by the Colts.