The Washington Redskins released tight end Chris Cooley Tuesday, announcing after Tuesday’s practice that the nine-year veteran--one of the most popular and recognizable players on the team--is being given the chance to find a starting job elsewhere.
Cooley said he believes he still can be a productive NFL player but it would be difficult for him to play for another team.
“It’s been awesome,” he added.
Cooley said he leaves with no hard feelings toward the organization.
Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan said: “We know how much Chris has meant to this organization and this community.”
Cooley wants to be a starter, Shanahan said, and the coach told him that Fred Davis is the Redskins’ starter at tight end. The team is giving Cooley an opportunity to seek a starting job elsewhere, Shanahan said.
“I think he’s earned that right,” Shanahan said.Shanahan said the two sides did not discuss Cooley’s contract. The tight end, who has filled in at fullback with starter Darrel Young injured, would have counted more than $6 million against the salary cap this season if he had remained with the team.
On his Twitter account, Cooley wrote, "Im very fortunate to have played for a team and a fan base that have embraced me like they have. This team changed my life."
It's tough because Cooley was a great Redskin. He was a solid player but he was supportive of the team no matter what. He seemed like a great locker room guy but the fact of the matter was that he was not going to start and he was expensive.
It will be interesting to see if Cooley hooks up with another team. I don't doubt he can play and will generate some interest but I really don't think Cooley wants to go any where else at this point in his career.
3 comments:
i have to say shanny has earned my respect with this decision. Doing this proves they are serious about going in the right direction. get rid of this old, washed up, overpaid unproductive (over the past few seasons) big mouth. I think Redskins fans are the only group that thinks this guy was even worth anything the past 4 seasons. 6 tds total in the past 4 seasons is pathetic for a tight end these days. good riddance.
Wow! Pretty harsh, JSR.
I like Cooley but it's the right call. You don't find guys that are as loyal to their team's like Cooley anymore. As much as I admire that, his production was limited because of injuries and the emergence of Fred Davis.
Tough to see him go but, again, it was the right call.
JSR - I know you love the Packers but you clearly don't have any love for the Skins. Captain Chaos has been one of the few home-grown talents this team has produced over the last decade. He is beloved by Skins fans not just for his production (he's the team's all-time receptions leader for TEs and I believe he has the 19th most receptions for a TE all-time), but also for his commitment to the team and for not being a knucklehead or an unlikable diva. He was outspoken, but intelligent. When you're a shining star on a turd, you get the right to speak your mind. He had that right.
Like him or not, this was the right move. I will miss not having him on the team any longer, but at this time Fred Davis is far more talented and is capable of being much more dynamic than Cooley ever was. Logan Paulson looks like a younger version of Cooley and Niles Paul, if he can make the transition from WR, could be tremendous with his size and speed. Cooley lost out because of athleticism and age. It was time to move on.
I'll miss Cooley. He's a class act and I hope he can continue his career until he's ready to call it quits.
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