Dannell Ellerbe played just six games for the New Orleans Saints in 2015 and just nine games in 2016.
And with Ellerbe dealing with yet another injury before training camp, the Saints' patience finally wore out.
The Saints placed Ellerbe on the injured reserve list on Tuesday, ending any chance of him playing for the team in 2017. They plan to cut him when he's healthy, which will give him an opportunity to catch on with another team.
Although Ellerbe was productive when healthy for the Saints, Coach Sean Payton explained that the 31-year-old's inconsistent availability ultimately led to the decision
"Ultimately, it came down to the availability and trying to stay healthy," Payton said Wednesday.