The Cleveland Browns cut former first-round pick Phil Taylor on Tuesday, the team announced.
Taylor had been battling back from a season-ending right knee injury he sustained in a win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Nov. 7, 2014.
The 21st pick in the 2011 draft, Taylor started 2015 at nose tackle with a guaranteed contract of $5.477 million. Taylor even was listed as the starter on the depth chart before the Browns' preseason opener.
But the Browns drafted nose tackle Danny Shelton with the 12th pick this year, and Shelton has been impressive during the preseason.
"Just given the depth that we had in that room, we knew we were going to have to make some difficult choices," coach Mike Pettine said. "[Taylor] was well on his way to being back, but just given the current circumstances of us needing to trim the roster down and where he was and how we felt about the room, we just felt it was the right decision for all involved."
Pettine said the team did not consider the guaranteed money.
"It's something that we're obviously very well aware of, but did not factor that in," he said. "When we talk about the roster, the contractual stuff to me is a secondary thing. You want to say with the 75 we want to move and then to the 53, I don't think it's very prudent to let the contractual stuff -- especially given where we are financially -- I don't think you want that to be a factor in it."
Taylor was part of the Browns' infamous draft-day trade with the Atlanta Falcons, who ended up with Julio Jones.
ESPN Browns reporter Pat McManamon and ESPN Cleveland's Jason Gibbs contributed to this report.