Colts Release Dallas Clark, Joseph Addai, Two Others
Search for Sports Apps! The Colts’ extreme offseason housecleaning took another drastic step Friday, as the team parted ways with four veteran players.
Per beat writer Mike Chappell, Indianapolis released tight end Dallas Clark, running back Joseph Addai, linebacker Gary Brackett, and safety Melvin Bullitt.
“It’s a whole new team,” a source told Chappell.
Clark may be nearing the end as an oft-injured, 32-year-old who had a dreadful 2011 campaign, both as a pass-catcher and blocker. He was never expected to stick around at a $5 million salary.
Addai carries the same injury concerns as Clark, and will be approaching 30, a notoriously feared age for backs. He should get some nibbles on the open market, but it’d be a surprise if he landed a starting role.
Brackett was more than likely a casualty of Indy’s new 3-4 scheme change, as he is primarily a 4-3 middle ‘backer. The longtime face of a typically-mediocre defense, Brackett missed nearly all of last season, and is far from certain to ever return to prior form.
Like Brackett, Bullitt missed much of the 2011 season on injured reserve, and was nothing more than an above-average player in the Colts’ secondary even when he was healthy. Still only 26, however, he should be able to find work in some capacity in 2012.
While none of these transactions — and reports of Dwight Freeney being shopped around the league — will sit well with Indy’s faithful, the organization made a wise decision cutting the excess weight with a new era dawning upon the franchise.
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