The start of NFL free agency isn’t only about signing players. Sometimes to create the salary-cap space needed to add the new contracts, teams release players.

On Monday, five veteran NFL players had their contracts terminated, including Greenville High School alumnus Za’Darius Smith by the Detroit Lions.

Detroit acquired Smith in trade with the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 5 after losing defensive end Aidan Hutchinson to a broken leg.

After five sacks in nine games for the Browns, Smith added four sacks in eight games with the Lions.

But with Hutchinson returning for 2025 and Smith due a $2 million roster bonus on Friday, Detroit released the 10-year veteran.

Releasing Smith cuts $5,757,500 off the Lions’ 2025 salary-cap obligations.

A basketball player at Greenville High School, Smith played football for the Tigers during his senior year. That led him to East Mississippi Community College, and he completed his college career with two seasons at Kentucky.

A fourth-round choice of Baltimore in the 2015 NFL Draft, Smith played four seasons with the Ravens before embarking on six lucrative seasons with four teams as one of the league’s top pass-rushers.

A Pro Bowl selection in 2019 and 2020 with the Green Bay Packers and 2022 with the Minnesota Vikings, Smith has collected 69 sacks and $79.178 million in pay from NFL teams during his career.

Also released on Monday were defensive tackle Grady Jarrett by the Atlanta Falcons, defensive end Von Miller by the Buffalo Bills, running back Gus Edwards by the Los Angeles Chargers and defensive tackle Larry Ogunujobi by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.