The Houston Texans are parting ways with one of their longtime defensive leaders.
Linebacker Brian Cushing has been informed by the team that he will be released by the start of the league year on March 14, the Houston Chronicle first reported.
Asked about his impending departure, Cushing told the Chronicle, “It’s all good. It’s just part of the business."
The Texans will save more than $7 million by releasing him.
Cushing, 31, has been a starter for the Texans since he was a first-round pick out of Southern California in 2009. He was named the Associated Press' defensive rookie of the year as well as Pro Bowl selection that season.
In 2017, he served a 10-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances and played in just five games. Knee injuries also sidelined him for all but 12 contests in 2012 and '13.
He finishes his Texans tenure as the franchise's all-time leading tackler with 674.
