Jurrell Casey Released After One Season With Denver

The one-time Tennessee Titans great played just three games with the Broncos before he sustained a season-ending injury.

For the second time in less than a year, an NFL team has decided that Jurrell Casey costs too much.

The Denver Broncos have released the veteran defensive lineman, according to multiple reports Thursday. The 31-year-old was set to count nearly $11.875 million against the 2021 salary as part of a four-year extension he signed in 2017 when he was with the Tennessee Titans.

The Titans traded the five-time Pro Bowler to Denver last March in a move that primarily was motivated to free up salary cap space. Casey played three games for the Broncos in 2020 before he sustained a torn biceps, which ended his season. He was credited with 14 tackles and two sacks.

Tennessee selected Casey in the third round of 2011 NFL Draft, and for a long time he seemed like a bargain, whatever his salary.

He missed just five games in nine seasons, led the team in sacks three times and averaged just shy of 75 tackles per year. He was a team captain six times and twice was named the Titans’ Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year. He is one of seven players in franchise history with at least 50 sacks (he had 51), and he was the only Tennessee player during the Titans era (1999-present) to make five consecutive Pro Bowl appearances (2015-19).

Among players selected in 2011, Casey ranks 12th with 142 career games played, is 10th in sacks and is one of nine who has been to at least five Pro Bowls.

He negotiated multiple contract extensions with the franchise and publicly expressed his desire to spend his entire career with one team. Now he is looking for a third team – in as many years.