Bears terminate eight-time Pro Bowl DE Peppers' contract

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The Chicago Bears released eight-time Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers on Tuesday.

The move was hardly a surprise given the way he struggled last year and the fact that his salary cap hit next season was for more than $18 million.

Peppers is the second high-profile player to part ways with the Bears this offseason, joining record returner Devin Hester. Those moves come after they split with Brian Urlacher following the 2012 season.

Peppers finished with just seven sacks, his lowest total in four seasons with Chicago and the fewest for him since he had a career-low 2 ½ with Carolina in 2007. Three times last year he failed to make a tackle, and the Bears' defense ranked among the worst in the NFL.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org