It's cut season around the NFL, and one veteran cornerback fell victim to a notable release Sunday.
The Bears have cut ties with cornerback Tim Jennings, the team announced.
"Once the whole regime came in and everybody was here, I kind of knew," Jennings told Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. "But they also gave me a heads up and told me I would be out there competing for a job. I had my best years here. I made two Pro Bowls. I played some good football. I had some ups and downs with injuries but for me, this is where I played my best football.
"They told me they were going to go younger," Jennings added, regarding the Bears' reasoning for the release. He added that he is looking forward to finding his next team.
Jennings played five seasons in Chicago, recording 16 interceptions, including a career-high nine in 2012. However, the nine-year veteran was coming off an off year, during which he played a full 16-game slate without a pick. To make matters worse, Jennings was arrested on charges of speeding, reckless driving and driving under the influence in January. He also underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in the offseason.
For what it's worth, Jennings was ranked as the 25th best cornerback in 2014 by Pro Football Focus. Though he's far better in the run game than in coverage, according to PFF's grading, he can still start in this league and shouldn't have a hard time finding a new landing spot.
The Bears also announced that they have cut running back Daniel Thomas and put safety Ryan Mundy on the injured reserve. Rookie wideout Kevin White will officially start the season on the PUP list, as expected.
Track every roster cut as NFL teams get down to 75 players.
