http://espn.go.com/nfl/columns/pasquarelli_len/1570025.html
"In a move that has been rumored for more than a month, the Tennessee Titans on Wednesday released seven-year veteran middle linebacker Randall Godfrey, making him an unrestricted free agent who figures to draw quick interest from other franchises.
The move was primarily a salary cap maneuver, aimed at creating room for the Titans to be able to afford to resign a trio of unrestricted free agents: punter Craig Hentrich, center Gennaro DiNapoli and backup quarterback Neil O'Donnell.
Tennessee officials have been close to deals with all three, and are believed to essentially have agreements in principle with DiNapoli and Hentrich, but did not have the cap room to complete the contracts. The cap-strapped Titans were only $904,000 under the league spending limit of $75.1 million on Wednesday morning.
Club officials are all but certain to consummate speedy deals with all three players. The coaching staff, and Titans management, would like the players to be able to participate in some of the remaining organized offseason practice sessions.
"In essence," said general manager Floyd Reese, "we're trading one position (to fill) three positions."
Reese had recently acknowledged that a roster move would be soon made to clear up cap room. He allowed that he could make several moves, but preferred just one, to create more space. That concession fueled speculation that Godfrey would be released.
By releasing Godfrey, the Titans carved out roughly $2.005 million in cap room. The club will have to carry a charge of $3.58 million on its 2003 cap and $3.08 million on the 2004 cap. Godfrey's cap charge for 2003 was to have been $5.58 million and the veteran was to have earned a base salary of $2 million this season and $4.75 million in '04.
Earlier this spring, the Titans approached Godfrey about the possibility of restructuring his contract to provide the franchise cap relief, but the two sides were unable to come to an accommodation that fit their needs.
A trio of young veterans -- Frank Chamberlin, Rocky Calmus and Brad Kassell -- are now expected to compete for the starting middle linebacker spot. Chamberlin is a three-year vet and Calmus and Kassell are each in their second season.
Godfrey, 30, has suffered through injuries the past two seasons and he was limited to just eight appearances and five starts because of a severely sprained ankle. For his career, he has 752 tackles, 10 sacks, 10 forced fumbles, five interceptions and 19 passes defensed. But he had only 32 tackles in 2002 and, at a time when more teams are moving quicker players to the middle linebacker spot and trying to keep them on the field for all three downs, Godfrey is mostly regarded as a two-down run stuffer.
The former University of Georgia star began his career with the Dallas Cowboys as a second-round draft choice in 1996. He played his first four seasons with the Cowboys and then moved to Tennessee as an unrestricted free agent in 2000, signing a contract that included $5 million in upfront money.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com."
