The San Francisco 49ers have thought twice about their union with Darnell Dockett.
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday that Dockett has been released, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. The team later confirmed the roster move.
The move comes six months after Dockett left the Cardinals to sign a two-year, $7.5 million contract that included $2 million guaranteed.
ProFootballTalk, which first reported Dockett's release, stated the move saves San Francisco $3.25 million in cash and salary-cap space. Dockett is a 10-year veteran with 40.5 career sacks. He was expected to serve as a situational pass rusher in Eric Mangini's defense.
The reasons behind Dockett's surprise exit are unclear, though the veteran defensive tackle had been slowed by a rib injury. Dockett might have rubbed some in the organization the wrong way when he tweeted that his rib was broken, a diagnosis that Tomsula refuted.
"Yeah, it's cartilage," Tomsula said Wednesday, via ESPN.com. "The crack is in the cartilage, which is treated like a contusion. It's not the bone. If it was the bone, we would be talking about something different (and more serious)."
Dockett immediately becomes a free agent, so let the speculation begin about a possible return to the Cardinals. Arizona -- or another team -- might choose to wait until after Week 1 to sign him. Dockett's vested veteran status means he would get his base salary fully guaranteed if he's signed before the start of the season.