The New Orleans Saints have released kicker Garrett Hartley, two days after he had one field goal blocked and hooked another wide in a 27-16 loss at St. Louis.
Hartley has been with the Saints since the middle of the 2008 season and made several crucial kicks during the Saints' 2009-10 run to a Super Bowl championship.
However, his career has been up-and-down since, and he has been particularly erratic this season, missing eight of 29 kicks inside 50 yards.
The Saints have not announced the move or released a statement, but the move was posted on the NFL's transaction wire Tuesday afternoon. New Orleans also has waived veteran cornerback Chris Carr.
There was no transaction or announcement indicating who would replace Hartley for Sunday's game at Carolina.
