PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles have released Ryan Mathews after the former Pro Bowl running back was cleared to return to football activities following neck surgery.

Mathews played two seasons with the Eagles after spending his first five years in San Diego. He had 1,200 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns for Philadelphia.

The move announced Tuesday was expected and saves the Eagles $4 million under the salary cap.

A statement from the team said: "We want to thank Ryan for his contributions to the Philadelphia Eagles over the past two seasons. We spoke today and had a productive conversation about his future and the direction of our team going forward. First and foremost, we are glad that Ryan is healthy and has been cleared to return to football activities, but given the current state of our running back position, we feel like it is best for both sides to go in a different direction. We wish him all the best as he continues his career."

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