Eagles cut veteran DeMeco Ryans

INDIANAPOLIS - The Eagles released veteran linebacker DeMeco Ryans on Wednesday in a move that opens $3.5 million in salary cap space but takes one of the most respected players off the roster.

"What DeMeco Ryans has done for our organization, the class he brought, day in and day out, I just wish him the best as he goes forward with his career, and really, in life," said Howie Roseman, the executive vice president of football operations.

Ryans, 31, has been with the Eagles since 2012. The former Pro Bowl player was a team leader who drew praise from teammates and coaches, but his performance suffered last season as he returned from a ruptured Achilles tendon that ended his 2014 season after eight games.

Rookie Jordan Hicks emerged as a valuable contributor, too, so it was unlikely that Ryans would start in the Eagles' new 4-3 scheme. That made Wednesday's move unsurprising.

"Sometimes there are hard decisions," coach Doug Pederson said. "Sometimes you have to move on from certain players. I love everything he's stood for in the organization. He's a great person, a great human being. But sometimes you just have to cut those ties and move on."

Hicks, whose season ended in November with a torn pectoral muscle, is expected to return for the offseason program. Pederson said Hicks was ready to become a full-time starter.

"He was drafted to be that guy," Pederson said. "He's got a great opportunity in front of him. I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do this spring."

Fletcher Cox has one year left on his contract, and the Eagles are committed to signing him to an extension.

"It's a huge priority for us to keep Fletcher Cox," Roseman said. "Our intention is for Fletcher to always be an Eagle. We've made that known. Sometimes these things don't happen quickly. We've been very fortunate to get [six] contracts done. But history says that's probably the exception rather than the norm."

Cox's contract will trump all the other deals the Eagles handed out this offseason, and it could make him one of the highest-paid defensive linemen in the league. Roseman alluded to the price that Cox will command.

"He's a great player and he's going to get great player money," Roseman said, "and we're not shy about saying that."

Chip Kelly is not holding a news conference at the combine, but San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke said "it's been awesome" working with the former Eagles coach, "who is very easy to work with." Baalke added that they haven't spent much time together, but that Kelly has an "easy personality." . . .Los Angeles Rams coach Jeff Fisher said that Nick Foles was still behind Case Keenum, and that the Rams will try to upgrade the quarterback position. An ESPN report this month suggested the Eagles were interested in reacquiring Foles, who signed a two-year, $24.5 million contract extension after the Eagles dealt him to the Rams. Fisher said that Foles would compete for the starting job, and that Foles was "kind of affected" by pressure to be "perfect."