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The NFL is just a handful of days before the official kickoff to the free agency period and teams are gearing up to reconstruct their rosters. While free agency is usually a period viewed as one filled with signings and the excitement of fan bases believing that their team has taken the necessary steps towards a championship, it is also a time where teams let go of perceived dead weight.
Such a case occurred on Thursday with the Indianapolis Colts as they parted ways with veteran center Samson Satele, per multiple reports. Satele, entering his ninth season, started 13 regular season and both playoff games for Indianapolis last season. His release saves the Colts $4 million in cap space for 2014.
Satele signed a three-year , $10.8 million contract before the 2012 season after a stint with the Oakland Raiders. Before that, Satele played for the Miami Dolphins and was a second round pick back in 2007 out of Hawaii. The Colts' offensive line was a bit suspect last season, so the club must have figured that Satele's contract wasn't worth keeping on the books.
Pro Football Focus, the preeminent player ranking system, listed Satele as the 31st rated center last season, mostly because of run blocking struggles. He is a free agent and is able to sign with any club as soon as he can.