Giants Release Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

NEW YORK (CBS Sports/AP) -- After spending the past few weeks trying to figure out what to do with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, the Giants decided that the easiest thing was to just release him.

The team informed Rodgers-Cromartie of his release on Sunday. The move comes roughly one week after the team reportedly asked him to switch positions and just two days after the Giants asked him to take a pay cut from the $6.5 million he was scheduled to make in 2018.

The Giants likely asked DRC to take the pay cut because there's a good chance his playing time was going to be reduced going forward. Although Rodgers-Cromartie played in 15 games last season, he started in only six of those, which was his fewest amount of starts since he signed with the Giants in 2014.

With Eli Apple and Janoris Jenkins at corner, the Giants were apparently going to ask DRC to make a position switch from corner to safety, but that's no longer an issue now that he won't be on the roster.

By cutting Rodgers-Cromartie, the Giants will free up roughly $6.5 million in cap space, which could help them chase a big name free agent like Panthers offensive lineman Andrew Norwell.

With Rodgers-Cromartie now out, it ends a bizarre year for him in New York. DRC was among three Giants' defensive backs who got suspended by the team for at least one game season.

After four seasons with the Giants, the former first-round pick will be looking to sign with a team for the fifth time in his NFL career. The two-time Pro Bowler entered the league in 2008 after the Cardinals selected him with the 16th overall pick in the NFL Draft. After spending three seasons with the Cardinals (2008-10), Rodgers-Cromartie was traded to the Eagles in 2011 and spend two years in Philly (2011-12), before signing with the Broncos for the 2013 season.

Although the 31-year-old might not be an effective every-down player at this point in his career, he could still be a good fit in the right defense.