INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Colts are starting over. Completely.

The Colts are fielding telephone calls from teams interested in trading for perennial Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney, league sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

The Colts also released halfback Joseph Addai, tight end Dallas Clark, safety Melvin Bullitt, linebacker Gary Brackett and quarterback Curtis Painter.

"These players all made tremendous contributions to the organization and will forever be members of the Colts family," Colts owner Jim Irsay said in a statement. "It's always difficult to make these decisions which the nature of the salary cap requires. Their legacies with the Colts will be forever remembered by the organization, fans and Indianapolis community. We wish them all the best in their future endeavors."

The Colts do not necessarily want to part ways with Freeney, but they need the salary-cap space and Freeney has a $19 million cap number this season and is unwilling to restructure his contract, sources told Schefter. The Colts are now open to trading Freeney but will do it only for what they consider the right price.

Freeney has spent his entire 11-year career with the Colts and has been named to seven Pro Bowls. His 8½ sacks last season were second on the team. He is the Colts' all-time sacks leader with 102½.

New Colts general manager Ryan Grigson declined to comment on Freeney's status.

This is the latest round in a massive housecleaning project that began two months ago when the Colts completed their worst season in two decades. Nobody is immune.