The Bengals today terminated the contract of LB Vontaze Burfict, releasing him to free agency.
Burfict, an eighth-year player in 2019, played in 75 career games with 73 starts for the Bengals over the past seven seasons.
His career totals include 684 tackles, 8.5 sacks, five interceptions, 33 passes defensed, four forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries, and he earned a Pro Bowl berth after the 2013 season.
Burfict originally signed with the Bengals as a college free agent out of Arizona State in 2012.
"As we continue to build our roster for the 2019 season, we felt it best to give both the team and Vontaze a fresh start," said Bengals head coach Zac Taylor. "Vontaze has been a good player here — the team appreciates that, and I know a lot of fans appreciate that — but our focus is on the future. Our goal is to build a successful team for the upcoming season, and we felt that making this change now was best for everyone."
