PHILADELPHIA — Linebacker Jason Phillips, one of the first players signed by the Philadelphia Eagles under coach Chip Kelly, was released Tuesday before he played in a regular-season game for the team.
Phillips signed a two-year, $1.46 million contract as a free agent in 2013 with the Eagles, but tore the ACL in his right knee the first week of training camp in 2013 and spent the season on injured reserve.
He came back healthy this year, but was released two days before the team’s third preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Originally a fifth-round pick by the Baltimore Ravens out of TCU, Phillips enjoyed his most success as a special teams performer and backup linebacker with the Carolina Panthers.
His most productive season came for the Panthers in 2012 when he played in all 16 games, with two starts.
The Eagles’ roster is at 89 players. All teams must make their first round of cuts by Tuesday, Aug. 26 and have their rosters at 75. Final cuts are Saturday, when the roster must be down to the regular-season maximum of 53 players.
