Gosder Cherilus Released by Colts: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

The Indianapolis Colts announced on Sunday the release of Gosder Cherilus, leaving the team without its projected starting right tackle less than a week before training camp.

Cherilus, 31, has started 29 games at right tackle for Indianapolis over the last two seasons. He missed the final two games of the 2014 regular season and the Colts' entire playoff run with a groin injury. The team initially expected him back in action in June, but it's safe to say it was not satisfied with his progress given the timing of the move.

Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press noted Cherilus' injury issue:

Cherilus was scheduled to make $4 million in base salary and counted $6.9 million against the cap this year, per Spotrac. Releasing him now actually puts a surcharge of $8.7 million on the Colts' cap for 2015, which doesn't make sense on the surface but may be a long-term play.

Indianapolis will likely be negotiating new contracts with Andrew Luck, T.Y. Hilton and a few others over the next 12 months. By taking the dead-money cap hit now, the Colts won't be stuck with the charge next season, when their cap situation will be tighter. Cherilus' dead-money charge would have been $5.8 million in 2016 and $2.9 million in 2017. Those fees now disappear.

"Indianapolis tried to restructure Cherilus' contract before cutting him, according to an NFL source," per ESPN's Mike Wells, who also provided comments from Cherilus' agent, Greg Diulus:

"

We had some conversations with the Colts [during the last week], and they wanted us to do something contractually that we were not comfortable with. But Gosder is very healthy, very much in shape and very much looking forward to the season.

He did what he was supposed to do. He visited the doctors this week, and he passed everything with flying colors. He's going to play somewhere this year.

"

The Colts should turn to 2014 second-round pick Jack Mewhort to man their right tackle spot. Mewhort started 14 games last season at left guard, but Donald Thomas and Todd Herremans should be able to handle the guard spots without problem.

Cherilus, meanwhile, could be looking for a training camp invite at this point. He struggled mightily after signing his big long-term agreement in Indianapolis, with Pro Football Focus grading him 70th-best among 84 offensive tackle last season. The NFL is rarely kind to 31-year-olds who perform below replacement level.

Follow Tyler Conway on Twitter: @tylerconway22.