Cardinals release Sam Bradford

The Arizona Cardinals released veteran quarterback Sam Bradford on Saturday.

Bradford started the first three games of the season but had been inactive for every game since Week 4, as he was owed $300,000 in bonuses for each contest in which he was a member of the 46-man roster. Between his signing bonus, base salary, and incentives, Bradford earned about $13.5 million from the Cardinals this season.

The 30-year-old was benched by Arizona after three games for rookie Josh Rosen. He signed a two-year deal with the Cardinals in the offseason after a two-year stint with the Minnesota Vikings.

Bradford will now go on waivers, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The former No. 1 overall pick carries a $20-million salary for next season.