Cardinals release Philon following arrest

The Arizona Cardinals have released defensive end Darius Philon, the team announced Saturday.

Philon was arrested Friday on an aggravated assault charge, Andie Hagemann of NFL.com reports, citing the Maricopa County Public Record.

The arrest stems from an incident in May outside of a Phoenix strip club, where the 25-year-old apparently threatened to shoot a dancer, according to Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic.

Philon was set to enter his fifth season and first with the Cardinals. The former sixth-round pick spent the previous four years with the Los Angeles Chargers.

He was penciled in as a starter on the Cardinals' defensive line. Philon's departure leaves the unit thin and rookie third-round pick Zach Allen will likely be expected to pick up much of the slack.