The Cincinnati Bengals released leading punt returner Brandon Tate on Tuesday prior to the mandatory cut to 75 players, the team announced.
Tate played for the Bengals from 2011 to 2015 and had a franchise-leading 153 punt returns for 1,411 yards. He was second in franchise history with 145 kickoff returns for 3,517 yards.
He never became a regular in the receiving lineup, however, and caught only two passes for 59 yards last season. His release likely paves the way for rookie Alex Erickson, who had an 80-yard punt return for a touchdown in the preseason and is the likely kick returner moving forward.