Wide receiver Sidney Rice and defensive end Red Bryant were released by the Seattle Seahawks on Friday, giving the Super Bowl champions additional salary cap space as free agency approaches. Seattle made the expected roster moves official eight days before teams can start speaking with potential free agents. Bryant had spent his entire career with the Seahawks after being a fourth-round draft pick in 2008, while Rice signed as a free agent before the 2011 season. According to the leagues transaction report, Rice was released with a "failed physical" designation. Both were due hefty salaries in 2014 that didnt necessarily match the production they had shown on the field. Rice had struggled with injuries with the Seahawks and was lost for the 2013 season after Week 8 with a knee injury. Bryant was a unique player as a 300-pound defensive end for the Seahawks, but his playing time had diminished. Seattle should save more than $12 million in salary cap space with the moves. Rice was due $8.5 million in base salary for 2014 and Bryant $4.5 million. "We want to thank both Red and Sidney for their effort, commitment and contribution to the Seattle Seahawks over the last few years," Seattle general manager John Schneider said in a statement. "These are extremely tough decisions, but we wanted to give them a head start on free agency. We wish them well in the future." Both moves were expected to happen and are likely the first in a series that will change the makeup of the Super Bowl champions. Bryant was one of just four players left from before the arrival of Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll. He was given a new contract during the 2012 off-season, but the emergence of Michael Bennett -- one of Seattles top free agent priorities -- appeared to make Bryant expendable. The only players still remaining from the pre-Carroll era are centre Max Unger, defensive tackle Brandon Mebane and punter Jon Ryan. Bryant was also a captain and vocal leader of Seattles league-best defence. He could be an attractive option in free agency for a team seeking a defensive end that can hold the edge in defending the run in a 3-4 defence. Rice had not matched the production that came with his big contract, mostly because of injuries. Rice played in 33 games with 31 starts with 97 receptions for 1,463 yards and 12 touchdowns. But his 2011 season was cut short by a concussion and he was unable to finish the 2013 season after suffering an ACL tear in his knee and being placed on injured reserve. Rice led Seattle in receptions (50) and yards receiving (748) during the 2012 season, one of just two seasons in his career that hes played in all 16 regular-season games. Rice tweeted a goodbye to Seattle fans shortly after his release became official: "The amount of love I have for the .12thman and the (at)Seahawks organization! Thanks for a wonderful experience!" 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Jared Crick Texans Jersey .S. hockey team after paying his dues as an NHL general manager for more than three decades and giving up a lot of his free time to help USA Hockey.Gus Poyet took charge at Sunderland on Tuesday on a mission to restore unity to the struggling English Premier League club following the divisiveness of Paolo Di Canios brief, stormy reign. Poyets immediate challenge is to produce Sunderlands first victory in the league, with the northeast club bottom with just one point from seven matches. "Trust me, believe, connect with the team," Poyet said after signing a two-year contract. "We are all together in this. Its important now we stick together." As with Di Canios appointment in March, American owner Ellis Short has hired a man with no previous topflight managerial experience. "Its a big, big challenge," Poyet said. "I thought that I would have an opportunity in the Premier League and now Ive got it I need to make sure I prove that they picked the right man to get us from the situation that we are." The former Uruguay midfielder began his mission with a managerial approach far removed from that of the maverick Di Canio, who left amid claims -- disputed by the Italian -- of player unrest. "The idea is to address the problems quickly, make sure that we train and convince the players to get better, and then slowly that will make us pick up points," Poyet said. "The sooner we win the better, but the idea is to make sure that we understand the way we would like them to play football. We think its the best way. "So there has to be a very good communication with the players -- understanding, trust. We need to commit as a group. We need to make sure that we are all together, the players, the staff, the fans. Make sure that we are very strong to make sure we can win football games." The 45-year-old has quickly found work again despite being fired by second-tier club Brighton in June for gross misconduct.dddddddddddd He becomes Sunderlands sixth permanent manager in less than five years, with Di Canio lasting only six months in the job before being fired in September. "We analyzed a wide range of candidates and believe that Gus track record, experience, commitment and passion make him the right man to take us forward," said Short, the American businessman who bought Sunderland in 2008. As a midfielder, Poyet spent his peak playing years with Zaragoza, Chelsea and Tottenham before becoming assistant manager to Dennis Wise at Swindon in 2006. He followed Wise to Leeds before Tottenham hired him to work under Juande Ramos in October 2007. Although Poyet won the League Cup with Ramos at Tottenham early in 2008, they were fired in October after a poor start to the season. Poyet, though, was soon handed his first managerial job in 2009 at Brighton, which was then in the third tier, steering the south-coast club to promotion in 2011 by winning the League One title. The team missed out on promotion to the Premier League in May by losing in the League Championship playoffs before Poyet was fired. Now Poyet is back in work and he has almost two weeks during the international break to plan for Sunderlands next match at Swansea on Oct. 19. The players have shown signs they were starting to gel under interim manager Kevin Ball in recent weeks, with a League Cup victory over third-tier club Peterborough followed by stronger showings in losses to Liverpool and Manchester United. "If there were no talented players and no quality players the challenge would be practically impossible," Poyet said. "I am convinced the players are good enough." cheap nfl jerseys cheap jerseys cheap jerseys cheap jerseys cheap nfl jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '