...for granting me my wish. Just goes to show that if you pray hard enough for something, it eventually will come to fruition.
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Sources: Warner's release planned after June 1
By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
Two-time NFL most valuable player Kurt Warner, whose career deteriorated over the past two seasons because of a series of injuries and inconsistency, will be released by the St. Louis Rams after June 1, league and team sources have confirmed to ESPN.com.
The six-year veteran, who authored one of the greatest success stories in recent league history, was apprised of the move on Monday by team officials. The Rams also granted Warner and his representatives permission to begin talking with other teams, although the quarterback won't technically be freed from his contract for at least six more weeks.
Despite a spate of non-denial denials from team officials this offeason, the decision to cut ties with Warner is hardly surprising. St. Louis is currently in negotiations with the agents for three-year veteran Marc Bulger on a long-term contract and this month signed veteran Chris Chandler to serve as a backup.
The move will free up approximately $4.85 million in 2004 cap room for the Rams. The club will still have to carry $4.61 million in so-called "dead money," cap room devoted to a player no longer on the roster, against its spending limit for 2004. Warner's current cap number, however, is a whopping $9.467 million, an exorbitant amount for a player who was not going to win the starting job.
St. Louis will also have to absorb a cap hit of $6.723 million in 2005. Warner is under contract through the 2006 campaign.
The Rams also will likely select a quarterback in this weekend's draft.
Warner, 32, proved an incredible rags-to-riches tale. The one-time journeyman out of Northern Iowa emerged from stints in the Arena Football League and the NFL Europe League to lead St. Louis to a Super Bowl XXXIV victory in 1999. He captured league MVP honors that season and also in 2001.
But injuries caught up to Warner the past two seasons, his playing time was reduced and his productivity waned. He started only one game in 2003 and made two appearances.
His career includes 1,121 completions in 1,688 attempts, for 14,447 yards, with 102 touchdown passes and 65 interceptions.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.
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Sources: Warner's release planned after June 1
By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
Two-time NFL most valuable player Kurt Warner, whose career deteriorated over the past two seasons because of a series of injuries and inconsistency, will be released by the St. Louis Rams after June 1, league and team sources have confirmed to ESPN.com.
The six-year veteran, who authored one of the greatest success stories in recent league history, was apprised of the move on Monday by team officials. The Rams also granted Warner and his representatives permission to begin talking with other teams, although the quarterback won't technically be freed from his contract for at least six more weeks.
Despite a spate of non-denial denials from team officials this offeason, the decision to cut ties with Warner is hardly surprising. St. Louis is currently in negotiations with the agents for three-year veteran Marc Bulger on a long-term contract and this month signed veteran Chris Chandler to serve as a backup.
The move will free up approximately $4.85 million in 2004 cap room for the Rams. The club will still have to carry $4.61 million in so-called "dead money," cap room devoted to a player no longer on the roster, against its spending limit for 2004. Warner's current cap number, however, is a whopping $9.467 million, an exorbitant amount for a player who was not going to win the starting job.
St. Louis will also have to absorb a cap hit of $6.723 million in 2005. Warner is under contract through the 2006 campaign.
The Rams also will likely select a quarterback in this weekend's draft.
Warner, 32, proved an incredible rags-to-riches tale. The one-time journeyman out of Northern Iowa emerged from stints in the Arena Football League and the NFL Europe League to lead St. Louis to a Super Bowl XXXIV victory in 1999. He captured league MVP honors that season and also in 2001.
But injuries caught up to Warner the past two seasons, his playing time was reduced and his productivity waned. He started only one game in 2003 and made two appearances.
His career includes 1,121 completions in 1,688 attempts, for 14,447 yards, with 102 touchdown passes and 65 interceptions.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.