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The New Orleans Saints have released seven-year veteran guard Larry Warford, per Ian Rapoport.
Source: The #Saints have cut guard Larry Warford, who will be one of the top FAs available.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 8, 2020
This move creates over $7 million of cap space.
New Orleans paid G Larry Warford a $750,000 roster bonus this spring, but save more than $7M against the cap with this move. The signings of Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill made this a necessity. https://t.co/58CoQDHW5R
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 8, 2020
Warford has spent his last three seasons in New Orleans, making the Pro Bowl in all three years, after playing his first four with the Detroit Lions.
The selection of Cesar Ruiz in the first-round of the 2020 NFL Draft made it clear the Saints were looking for an upgrade on the interior, and this confirms it.
There had been rumors coach Sean Payton and his staff were unhappy with Warford’s performance, after he allowed a team-high 32 pressures in 2019. And then Payton came out and said Warford would have to “compete” for a starting job in an interview after the first round of the draft.
It looks like he’ll now have to compete for such a job on another team.
Warford suddenly becomes one of the most important free agents on the market.