Cardinals release Player, longest-tenured Cardinal

TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Arizona Cardinals released punter Scott Player, the team's longest-tenured veteran in both seasons and games played.

The 37-year-old Player joined the team in 1998 and appeared in 140 games in nine seasons with the Cardinals. He has punted 714 times for 30,752 yards and a 43.1-yard average. Player was selected to the Pro Bowl following the 2000 season, his third with the team.

"It's never easy to part ways with a veteran who has contributed to the team for as long as Scott has," coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "At the same time, you have to make decisions based on what's in the best interests of the football team and we feel this move is."

Player will be replaced by Mike Barr, picked up on a waiver claim Tuesday. Barr was released Monday by Pittsburgh. The 28-year-old Barr has never appeared in an NFL regular-season game.

He punted six times for 270 yards, a 45.0-yard average, during the preseason for the Steelers. The Rutgers product spent the 2004-06 seasons in NFL Europa with the Frankfurt Galaxy.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press