Alouettes rookie defensive coordinator Kahlil Carter feels the team handled Kyries Hebert’s release in a fair way.

“We offered him an opportunity. I know Kyries can still tackle. When a guy says no to you, you shake his hand and wish him well,” Carter told Montreal Gazette reporter Herb Zurkowsky.

“I would play 20 to 30 plays a game and that is not something I am interested in. I don’t think that’s something that’s warranted based on my play. I go from defensive player of the year in the East to somebody’s backup,” Hebert said on TSN 690 Montreal after signing with the Redblacks.

The 37-year-old made a career-high 110 tackles, forced three fumbles, made two sacks and intercepted one pass in 18 games last year. Hebert was named the East Division Most Outstanding Defensive Player and an East all-star.

“He had a great year,” Carter acknowledged. “Their team wasn’t very good. When you give up 580 (points) and one player has 100 tackles, there are things you have to improve overall. It’s not the 12 best (players), it’s the best 12 together, not individually. If I have three guys that are good and nine that are not, I need to change things.”

“It’s a rookie defensive coordinator and he has a guy such as myself where he doesn’t see fitting in what his idea of what the defence looks like. How much power does a rookie defensive coordinator have?” Hebert asked.

Clearly, Carter has enough influence to get Hebert cut and sent out of town.

“I sleep well at night,” Montreal’s first-year defensive coordinator said.