The Redskins released defensive end Ricky Jean-Francois on Wednesday.
By releasing Jean-Francois, the Redskins save $3 million against the salary cap but lose a veteran rotational player. Jean-Francois, who is 30, was set to make $4 million next season with $1 million of it being dead money that the Redskins will still have to carry against the salary cap.
The Redskins were in the upper-third of the league in cap space at the beginning of free agency, but used most of that room up in the first week of free agency and had fallen down into the bottom third.
The Redskins now have $17.4 million in available cap room according to the website Spotrac, and could spend that money on additional free agent signings.
Jean-Francois played in all 16 games last season, starting seven of them, and accrued 32 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
The Redskins also announced Wednesday that they re-signed free agent defensive lineman Ziggy Hood as well as exclusive rights free agent tackle Vinston Painter.
Hood is a high-effort player who made the roster after he was signed to a reserve/futures contract last offseason. Hood played in every game last season, starting 14, and made 23 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble. He also led all Redskins defensive linemen with three passes defensed.
Hood, 30, was a first-round pick of the Steelers in 2009.
The Redskins claimed Painter off waivers during last years preseason. The 6-4, 322-pound tackle played in five regular season games last year. He was a sixth-round pick of the Denver Broncos in 2013.
