Cleveland Browns release veteran safety Donte Whitner

The Cleveland Browns continue their roster turnover with the release of veteran safety Donte Whitner.

The Cleveland Browns continued the purging of their veteran players on Saturday with the release of safety Donte Whitner.

Whitner joined the Browns as a free agent in 2014 and started 30 games in two seasons, posting 216 tackles, 1.5 sacks and an interception, while also making the Pro Bowl after his first season with the club.

“It is important for us to thank Donte for all of his contributions to the Cleveland Browns over the last two seasons,” executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown said in a team release. “His passion for this city and dedication to his craft was contagious. These are difficult decisions to make but we felt it was the best decision for the Browns at this time. We wish him the best as he continues his career.”

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While the move is not surprising after seeing the Browns release Randy Starks and Karlos Dansby in recent weeks, the timing of it is a bit odd. Just like Dansby, Whitner is a player that the front office surely knew was not in their plans for the latest rebuilding efforts, so why they didn’t release Whitner at the start of free agency is not necessarily a good look for the club.

Whitner’s game has been in a slow decline since arriving in town, much like other “big-hitting” safeties before him who in their later years simply ran into opposing wide receivers and running backs, rather than trying to wrap them up and make a tackle. He finished his first season with the Browns ranked 11th out of 88 safeties by Pro Football Focus, but slipped into a tie for 24th out of 89 safeties in 2015.

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He had two years left on his contract with a cap hit of $8.45 million and a dead cap space of $4.5 million in 2016; in 2017 those numbers are $8.45 million and $2.25 million.

His departure, along with that of Tashaun Gipson in free agency, means the Browns are now without both of their starting safeties from 2015. The team signed Rahim Moore in free agency to battle with Jordan Poyer to possibly fill Gipson’s spot, and second-year player Ibraheim Campbell to presumably fill Whitner’s position. This move could also signal that the team will look to the 2016 NFL Draft to add another safety to the roster.

It may also mean there will be some sleepless nights in the coming weeks for other veteran players left on the Browns roster.