The Eagles cut ties with defensive end Trent Cole on Wednesday, despite the fact he openly said he would be willing to take a pay cut to stay in an Eagles uniform to finish his career. The two sides couldn't come to terms on a revised contract, so the Eagles decided to release him. Cole finished his 14-year career with the Eagles, posting 85.5 sacks, good for second place in franchise history behind Reggie White. Cole signed a four-year, $53 million contract extension with $14.5 million guaranteed in March 2012. According to an ESPN report, Cole is on his way to visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as he begins his search for a new team. Here's what Chip Kelly had to say about Cole's contract talks.
"We spoke with Trent and his agent and expressed a desire to have him back," Eagles coach Chip Kelly said in a statement. "We have been talking for a couple of weeks. However, at this point, we think it's best to let him explore other options around the NFL."
Meanwhile, the release of Cary Williams was perfectly fine with Eagles fans, as the team saved about $6.5 million in cap space with the move. According to NFL.com, Williams is visiting the Seattle Seahawks, who are looking for a replacement for Byron Maxwell. The Eagles have been rumored to have some interest in him recently.
Brandon Apter is a writer for Eagledelphia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ApterShock
