Cardinals release backup C Lamont Gaillard

The week before the start of training camp, the Arizona Cardinals have announced a surprising roster move. They announced Wednesday they released third-year offensive lineman Lamont Gaillard.

Gaillard was a sixth-round pick out of Georgia in 2019 and did not play the entire season. In 2020, he appeared in 13 games and started twice in place of the injured Mason Cole.

Arizona is set at center in terms of a starter with Rodney Hudson, but Gaillard was projected by most to be his backup.

That is what makes the move surprising.

Now, veteran Max Garcia appears to be the main backup behind Hudson and they also have rookie Michael Menet, whom they just drafted in the seventh round this year out of Penn State.

With the release, the Cardinals now have 90 players on the roster but, because of the exemption for tight end Bernhard Seikovits, they have an open spot.

The team did not announce any other moves, so it is perhaps a prelude to a signing or a trade, or perhaps this is related some issue off the field we are not yet aware of.

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