The Facts: The Buccaneers announced they have released kicker Nick Folk in a procedural move.

Diehards Line: As PFT reminded readers, Tampa Bay placed Folk on injured reserve on October 9 with a left knee injury that required surgery. Dr. James Andrews cleared Folk to resume kicking last week, clearing the way for the Bucs to move on without him. Folk, 33, was scheduled to become a free agent next month anyway. Folk won the Bucs’ kicking job over Roberto Aguayo and Zach Hocker but converted only six of 11 field goal attempts, while missing two of nine extra point tries in four games before going on IR. He has made 80.3 percent of his field goal attempts in 11 seasons with the Cowboys, Jets and Bucs. Dallas made him a sixth-round pick in 2007.