Running back C.J. Spiller‘s tenure with the New Orleans Saints has come to a surprisingly premature end.
The franchise released the seven-year NFL veteran early Tuesday evening according to the NFL Network‘s Rand Getlin. Spiller had been on the team’s inactive list for their week one game against the Oakland Raiders. The Saints lost 35-34.
I'm told the #Saints have released RB CJ Spiller. He's fully healthy now. Wont be long before someone picks him up.
— Rand Getlin (@RandGetlin) September 13, 2016
New Orleans Saints Release Running Back C.J. Spiller
Spiller signed a four-year, $18 million contract with New Orleans in free agency ahead of last season that included $9 million in guaranteed money. According to OverTheCap.com, this was the 17th highest contract for a running back at the time of the deal. The move ensures a dead money charge of up to $7 million this season but the Saints will realize $5.75 million in cap savings over the next two years.
The 29-year-old spent the first five seasons of his career with the Buffalo Bills, who picked him ninth overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. The highlight of his time in Orchard Park was his 2012 campaign. It was then that he rushed for 1,244 yards, had an additional 459 receiving yards and tallied a total of eight touchdowns. His 6.01 yards per carry was bested by only the Vikings’ Adrian Peterson that year.
But Spiller has struggled with injuries throughout his career. This included a broken collarbone during his final season with the Bills in 2014 which forced him to miss seven games, starting in only five. Ahead of the preseason last year, he underwent arthroscopic knee surgery.
Spiller made just two starts for the Saints in 2015 and finished with just 351 total yards. He did end up having two receiving touchdowns, the highlight of which was an 80-yard bomb against the Dallas Cowboys in a Week 4 overtime win. But his 112 rushing yards was fourth on the team behind Mark Ingram, Tim Hightower and Khiry Robinson.
The Saints face the New York Giants on the road in week 2, a game which kicks off Sunday, September 18th at 1 PM and can be seen on FOX.
