The Oakland Raiders released outspoken punter Chris Kluwe, who had signed a one-year minimum contract with the team shortly after his release from the Minnesota Vikings in May.
They’ll go with Marquette King, an undrafted free agent out of Fort Valley State in 2012 who grossed 53.6 yards and netted 45.3 on seven punts in his second preseason with the Raiders.
Kluwe’s seven preseason punts grossed 46.6 and netted 37.4 yards.
“We had both had a pretty good preseason, but as the young guy, he definitely has the higher potential ceiling. It makes sense,” Kluwe wrote in a series of text messages to USA TODAY Sports.
“King’s got a really strong leg. He reminds me a lot of me when I was a rookie.”
Kluwe, 31, posted a career-best 39.7 average on 72 punts last season, his eighth with the Vikings. But the team drafted Jeff Locke in the fifth round out of UCLA and released Kluwe after watching the newcomer rookie camp.
Active on social issues as well as an avid gamer and musician, Kluwe said he intends to stay in shape and “definitely” feels he can punt in the NFL this season.
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