Former Detroit Lions right guard Larry Warford is now a free agent after the New Orleans Saints decided to part ways with the Pro Bowl veteran lineman.
Warford was due a salary of over $7.5 million in the final season of his 4-year deal with the Saints. New Orleans drafted Cesar Ruiz in the first round and have enough depth at the interior OL positions with Ruiz, Erik McCoy and Andrus Peat, to dump Warford and save money. The Saints had less than $2 million in cap room available prior to the move.
Detroit’s 3rd-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, Warford turns 29 in June. He has earned berths in the last three Pro Bowls and remains one of the most powerful run blockers in the NFL.
It seems unlikely the Lions will have any interest in a reunion. The team drafted promising young guards Jonah Jackson and Logan Stenberg in the draft last month. Warford’s time in Detroit did not end on a positive note, though that was prior to the current coaching staff.
However, Warford is a proven veteran and an upgrade over any other guard currently on the free agent market. The Lions still rank among the teams with the most available cap room.
