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Cincinnati Bengals release veteran LB Vontaze Burfict

By Alex Butler
Former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict had 8.5 sacks in seven seasons with the franchise and led the NFL with 177 tackles during his 2013 Pro Bowl campaign. File Photo by John Sommers II/UPI
Former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict had 8.5 sacks in seven seasons with the franchise and led the NFL with 177 tackles during his 2013 Pro Bowl campaign. File Photo by John Sommers II/UPI | License Photo

March 18 (UPI) -- The Cincinnati Bengals have released linebacker Vontaze Burfict.

A source informed NFL Network of the move Monday. Burfict, 28, entered the league with the Bengals in 2012. The 2013 Pro Bowl selection had 33 tackles and three passes defensed in seven starts last season.

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The team attempted to trade Burfict before opting for the release. The move saves the Bengals more than $5.6 million in salary cap space.

Burfict hasn't played more than 11 games in a season since 2013 due to multiple suspensions and injuries.

The Arizona State star was fined or suspended by the NFL 14 times during his Bengals tenure. He missed 10 games and lost more than $4 million in salary due to the NFL reprimands. Burfict missed the first four games of the 2018 season for violating the NFL policy on performance-enhancing substances.

Burfict signed a three-year, $38.6 million contract extension in 2017.

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