If Cole Beasley changes his mind about retirement, he won’t need to go back to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Buccaneers officially terminated the wide receiver’s practice squad contract a day after he announced his retirement.
Tampa Bay would have still held Beasley’s rights had the team not released him. The 33-year-old can now sign elsewhere if he decides to play again.
Beasley secured four of five targets for 17 yards in two games after signing with Tampa Bay on Sept. 20. His agent, Joel Turner, said Wednesday that the 11-year pro decided he wants to spend more time with his family.
While his Tampa Bay tenure was short and forgettable, Beasley attained more success over the last decade. The undrafted free agent played seven seasons with the Dallas Cowboys before assuming a bigge role for the Buffalo Bills. He set and matched a career-high 82 receptions in his two final full NFL seasons.
The release sets the stage for Beasley to make his retirement official.