Saints release C.J. Spiller

David Hood by Senior Writer -

NFL.com reported Tuesday afternoon that the New Orleans Saints have released former first-round pick C.J. Spiller.

The former Clemson running back was selected in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills, but his career in Buffalo never gained traction after he had to split the carries with veteran Fred Jackson. His best season came in 2012 when he carried the ball 207 times for 1,244 yards and six touchdowns. Spiller had 202 carries in 2013, but injuries limited him to 78 carries in 2014 and just 36 with the Saints last season.

Spiller was inactive for the Saints last weekend for their game against the Raiders. For his NFL career with the Bills and Saints, Spiller has 704 rushes for 3,433 yards and 12 scores.

He signed a four-year, $16 million deal last offseason as a free agent.