The Arizona Cardinals have begun the eagerly awaited overhaul of their offensive line.
Veteran left guard Daryn Colledge tweeted Saturday that he's been informed of his pending release.
Colledge told Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic that the combination of his age (32), salary and the drafting of a pair of guards last offseason made him expendable in the desert.
Per Somers, the transaction will be designated a post-June 1 release, allowing the Cardinals to spread the $4.55 salary-cap hit over two years.
Signed away from the Packers on a five-year, $27.5 million contract in 2011, Colledge was often the lone stalwart on an overwhelmed offensive line over the past three seasons.
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He will be replaced by 2013 first-round draft pick Jonathan Cooper, who is returning from a broken leg that kept him off the field all of last season.
Cooper won't be the only addition. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport has reported the Cardinals are placing a "high priority" on left tackle Branden Albert in free agency.
Somers confirms Albert is the team's No. 1 target, with versatile St. Louis Rams lineman Rodger Saffold as the fallback option.
Coach Bruce Arians emphasized at the NFL Scouting Combine that Carson Palmer can spin the ball with the NFL's best quarterbacks when he's protected. The Cardinals plan to ensure that he gets that extra time to throw in 2014.
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