Curtis Lofton Released by Raiders: Latest Comments and Reaction

The Oakland Raiders are making waves in free agency, and another one came Friday when the team announced the release of linebacker Curtis Lofton. 

ESPN's Adam Caplan reported Lofton failed a physical. Oakland was Lofton's third team in his eight-year career, and he appeared in all 16 games in 2015, recording 80 tackles and a sack. 

The former second-round pick was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in 2008.

Before starting in only nine games for the Raiders, Lofton started in all 16 games the last six years prior. He signed a three-year, $18 million contract with the Raiders exactly one year ago.

Season	Games Played	Games Started	Tackles
2008	16	15	87
2009	16	16	131
2010	16	16	117
2011	16	16	159
2012	16	16	123
2013	16	16	137
2014	16	16	145
2015	16	9	64

Lofton played the first four years of his career with Atlanta before signing a five-year deal worth about $33 million in 2012 with the New Orleans Saints. The former Oklahoma Sooners linebacker played only three of those seasons before being released last offseason for salary-cap reasons after a 145-tackle year.

The release of Lofton comes at a time when the Raiders have been huge spenders in free agency, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Oakland signed former Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin and corner Sean Smith, stealing him away from the division rival Kansas City Chiefs.

Although Lofton was a part-time starter last year, the Raiders now become thin at linebacker. Former Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith led Oakland with 123 tackles in 2015, with All-Pro linebacker and defensive end Khalil Mack recording the next highest number of tackles at linebacker with 77.

Lofton has been so durable throughout the course of his career that this failed physical comes as a surprise.

If he addresses whatever the issue is, he can be a valuable signing for a team in need of run defense in the front seven.

Stats courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com. Follow Danny Webster on Twitter.