Chris Canty released by Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens are releasing veteran DE Chris Canty.

Add veteran defensive end Chris Canty to the list of cap-clearing cuts made by NFL teams preceding the turnover to the 2015 NFL calendar year, which is incidentally joined by the start of the free agency period.

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The Ravens released Canty on Friday, just two days after releasing Super Bowl 47 hero Jacoby Jones, who returned the second half kickoff for a touchdown in the Ravens’ dramatic 34-28 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

Canty, who was a standout for much of his four seasons with the Dallas Cowboys upon entering the league in 2005 as a fourth-round draft pick from Virginia, played just two seasons for Baltimore. In between the bookends of his career, as it currently stands, Canty also played four seasons for the Cowboys’ rival, the New York Giants.

His best fit being as a 3-4 defensive end, who strictly plugs holes and opens opportunities for defensive teammates (mostly linebackers), Canty does not have impressive standard numbers. Even playing in the Giants’ 4-3 scheme for his four years, a scheme which emphasizes more involvement in getting after the quarterback and filling holes to make the tackle, Canty only had 9.0 sacks.

In two seasons with the Ravens he recorded 2.5 sacks and forced three fumbles. He was better in 2013 than this past season overall.

Canty signed a three-year, $8.0 million deal in the 2013 offseason, according to Spotrac. By cutting Canty now, the Ravens face a dead cap hit of two-thirds of a million dollars, but save approximately $2.6 million, which will allow them to make a run at some underestimated player few other teams are courting. That’s how the Ravens often roll.

The 32-year-old Canty thanked the Ravens for allowing him to play in purple and black. “First thing I want to do is thank Steve Bisciotti, Ozzie and Coach ‘Harbs’ for bringing me to Baltimore and allowing me to wear the purple and black.”

He continued, “I am very proud to be a Raven. They are a great franchise, and I was privileged to be a contributor to that outstanding tradition of defense that is part of the team’s lore.”

Canty, though, is likely not done with his NFL career.

“I am going to continue to prepare to play again and will explore other possibilities to play the game I love.”

If he does find another spot, it will likely be for another 3-4 defense as a rotation defensive end.

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