Minnesota Vikings release punter T.J. Conley
By Nam Huynh
Oct 9, 2011; Foxborough, MA, USA; New York Jets punter T.J. Conley (4) punts the ball in the third quarter against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots defeated the Jets, 30-21. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
The Minnesota Vikings released punter T.J. Conley, the player tweeted Monday.
Conley, 27, signed with the Vikings in January with the expectation that he would compete with Chris Kluwe in the offseason.
The team selected UCLA punter Jeff Locke in fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft, making Conley expendable.
General manager Rick Spielman reportedly intends to let Locke and Kluwe battle it out in Training Camp. The Vikings took kicker Blair Walsh out of Georgia in the sixth round last season and shortly thereafter cut veteran Ryan Longwell.
Kluwe, 31, is due a non-guaranteed salary of $1.45 million this season. He is scheduled to become a free agent after the season.