Only three months after re-signing him to a one-year, $1-million deal, the San Diego Chargers have again parted ways with defensive tackle Luis Castillo.
The word on the street is that Castillo wants more playing time, whereas the Chargers are looking to go with a younger group of players along their defensive front. It is believed that this, along with a lackluster offseason showing from Castillo, led to his release on Thursday.
When he first hit the open market back in March, Castillo received interest from both the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs. Neither ended up signing the veteran to a contract and he eventually opted to rejoin the Chargers.
Now that he will again be a free agent, there’s a possibility that either the Patriots or the Chiefs could kick his tires one more time. More than likely, though, the injury-prone defensive tackle will have to wait around until a training camp/preseason injury forces someone to look for a cheap, experienced veteran.
Last season, Castillo missed all but one game after suffering a broken leg during the Chargers’ Week 1 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings.
Throughout his seven-year NFL career, Castillo has amassed 210 tackles, 19 sacks and two interceptions. His best season came back in 2006, during which he racked up 37 tackles and seven sacks in only ten games. Since then, Castillo has been on the decline while battling numerous injuries and a Chargers youth movement along the defensive line.
Even if he does catch on with another team, it’s likely that Castillo’s playing days could soon be over. What was once a promising NFL career has become a story of a talented player forever hindered by injury.
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