Colts continue fine-tuning roster along offensive line

Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff wouldn’t have to overpay for Cherilus’ services in the manner that Indianapolis did to pry him away from Detroit.

After signing a lucrative deal in free agency to become the Colts’ starting right tackle, Cherilus went on to start 29 games in two seasons in Indianapolis.

On Sunday morning, the Colts released starting right tackle Gosder Cherilus, who had injury concerns coming out of the 2014 season and missed the entire 2015 offseason program. Neither side could reach an agreement in these discussions that they liked, therefore, Cherilus was soon released by the Colts.

Even if he recovered, Cherilus was likely going to be a cut candidate next season or in 2017, as he never lived up to his “highest-paid RT in the league” status.

Corbin signed with the Colts as an undrafted rookie May 26.

According to the contract compilation website Spotrac, Cherilus’ release will create $11.6 million in dead money on Indianapolis’ salary cap.

The 31-year-old Cherilus, who signed a five-year $34 million contract in 2013 with the Colts, suffered from various injuries to the knee, shoulder and groin last season and had offseason knee surgery. It appears Mewhort will replace Cherilus as the starting right tackle. Joe Reitz, who started all three playoff games at the position, also figures to be in the mix. The timing of the release is indicative of a potential cap maneuvering by general manager Ryan Grigson.

While it may seem like a surprise for most Colts fans, Cherilus’ agent Greg Diulus said that the team’s management had been talking to them about the plan for quite some time before the official announcement was made public.

The No. 75 of Mewhort will be called upon immediately at right tackle, when the Colts open up Training Camp next weekend in Anderson.

“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”, Diulus said via the same report.