The Bears moved on from left tackle Jermon Bushrod, terminating the contract of the veteran, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports.

By making the move now, they give the veteran some extra time to catch on with another club. It’s a move that did not come as a surprise. Bushrod, 31, started the first three games of the season before suffering a concussion and a shoulder injury at Seattle. Leno was plugged in and Bushrod was reduced to a backup role with occasional opportunities as a third tackle in certain situations.

“We thank Jermon for his contributions to the Bears,” Bears GM Ryan Pace said. “I have so much respect for how he carries himself on and off the field. He was a locker room leader and contributor in helping the younger players on our team grow. We wish him and his family the best as they move forward.”

Bushrod was due to earn a base salary of $6.4 million this coming season with a $100,000 roster bonus. While he will count $4.4 million against the salary cap in 2016, the move creates an additional $2.2 million in cap room for a team that already projected to have $55 million in cap space. So this wasn’t a cap casualty, rather a football decision.