Rams release Kendall Langford

The St. Louis Rams released veteran defensive tackle Kendall Langford, the team announced Thursday.

Langford appeared in all 48 games after joining the Rams as a free agent in March 2012, tallying eight sacks and 71 total tackles.

While the Rams likely would have preferred to keep the seven-year veteran as part of a strong defensive line rotation, rookie Aaron Donald's excellent performance in the starting role made Langford a relatively expensive backup to keep on the roster going forward.

The 29-year-old's experience and versatility should give him plenty of value on the open market, and the early release will allow him the opportunity to sign with another team before free agency officially opens.

Parting ways with Langford saves the Rams $6 million against the salary cap in 2015, as reported by Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.