Starting right guard Cooper Carlisle and defensive tackle John Henderson were cut by the Raiders on Thursday, with Henderson failing his physical.
Carlisle, a starter for the past four years, was due $3 million in salary, and his release saves a reported $2.1 million against the salary cap. Henderson was due $4 million in salary.
The Raiders could move to bring back Carlisle at some point, given his experience with the zone blocking system that will be reintroduced this season under offensive coordinator Greg Knapp and line coach Frank Pollack.
However, Oakland also reportedly was lining up a visit with Mike Brisiel, an unrestricted free agent with 47 starts as a right guard for the Texans, where Knapp was the quarterbacks coach and Pollack the assistant line coach.
Brisiel’s season ended after 13 games in 2011 because of a broken leg. He injured the leg early in a 20-19 win over Cincinnati but finished the game before undergoing surgery the following day.
While Carlisle missed only one start in five years with the Raiders because of injury, Brisiel went on injured reserve late in the 2010 season with a calf injury and missed 11 games in 2009 with a foot fracture.
The moves give the Raiders maneuverability — possibly as much as $10 million — when it comes time to add free agents. Coach Dennis Allen said at the scouting combine the Raiders probably wouldn’t go after any of the big names in free agency.
Oakland’s room under the $120.6 million salary cap was an NFL-low $636,000 at one point, according to ESPN, although those figures remain fluid as contracts are jettisoned or restructured.
In other news, unrestricted free-agent running back Michael Bush reportedly has lined up visits with the Cincinnati Bengals and Chicago Bears.
