Bush, Hawk are cap cuts

RB’s release helps free space for Lions to re-sign Suh.

Reggie Bush spent the past few months of the 2014 season nursing an ankle injury that limited his role in the Detroit Lions’ underachieving offense.

He’ll spend the next few weeks looking for a new team.

The Lions released Bush on Wednesday in a cost-cutting move that will free up cap room to help the team with its chief offseason pursuit, re-signing All-Pro defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

Bush, who turns 30 next month, played just 11 games last year and finished with 297 yards rushing, the second-lowest total of his career, as he took a backseat to Joique Bell in the running back rotation.

The Lions entered Wednesday with about $126 million in top-51 salary cap commitments, giving them a projected $17 million of cap space to spend on Suh, their draft class and others this offseason.

By cutting Bush, who was due a $3.25 million base salary this year and had a $250,000 workout bonus in his contract, they created another $1.7 million in cap room. Reggie Bush was limited to 11 games and 297 yards rushing this past season, and the Lions turned to Joique Bell to carry the rushing load.

Packers: Inside linebacker A.J. Hawk had a hunch after Green Bay’s season ended he might be looking for a new team. So he wasn’t surprised when the Packers released him following nine years with the only club he has played with in the NFL.

“I kind of had a feeling it might happen,” Hawk said on a podcast Wednesday after the move. “The Packers actually let me know. ... They’ve stayed awesome throughout this whole process, been super classy.”

Hawk, a respected locker room presence, leaves Green Bay with 1,118 tackles, tops in the franchise since 1975. He made 136 starts since being drafted in the first round in 2006 out of Ohio State.

Ravens: Jacoby Jones, the wide receiver and kicker returner who was a major contributor to Baltimore’s last Super Bowl championship, was released.

Browns: Veteran freeagent quarterback Josh McCown spent a second day in Cleveland, and the QB-deficient Browns could keep him around on a more permanent basis. McCown was released last week by the Bucs.

Falcons: Signed kicker Matt Bryant to a contract extension. Bryant led the NFL with seven field goals of 50 yards or longer in 2014.

Tuesday’s Games NHL notes ■ Kane injury: Patrick Kane had surgery Wednesday to repair a broken left collarbone, likely sidelining the dynamic forward for the rest of the season unless Chicago makes another deep run in the playoffs. The doctor who performed the surgery said a full recovery will take“approximately 12 weeks.”Kane, who leads Chicago with 27 goals and 37 assists, lost his balance and crashed into the boards after he was cross-checked by Florida defenseman Alex Petrovic on Tuesday. ■ Maple Leafs: Captain Dion Phaneuf is expected to return to the lineup tonight against the Flyers after missing a month because of a hand injury. ■ Hurricanes: Forward Jiri Tlusty, who has been with the team parts of six seasons, was traded to the Jets for a pair of draft picks. Tlusty, 26, came to Carolina in a December 2009 trade with the Maple Leafs and played 322 games for the Hurricanes.

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