The Cleveland Browns released veteran defensive tackle Phil Taylor as part of Tuesday's initial wave of roster cutdowns, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Taylor joined the Browns as a first-round pick in 2011, putting together a strong rookie year before injuries forced him to miss 20 games over the next three seasons.
This year's first-round selection, Danny Shelton, had seemingly pushed Taylor into a reserve role on Cleveland's depth chart, but he should be quick to find another team after hitting the free-agent market.
Shelton now projects as the Week 1 starter at nose tackle, flanked by veteran defensive ends Randy Starks and Desmond Bryant on the Browns' three-man defensive front.