SAN DIEGO -- In the end, Donald Butler's scheduled salary of $4.65 million in 2016 was too much for the San Diego Chargers, so the organization did the right thing and released the University of Washington product, giving him plenty of time to find a new team in free agency.

The Chargers inked Butler to a seven-year, $51.8 million contract extension two years ago as a foundational piece of the team's defense moving forward. However, he struggled in 2014 with injuries and inconsistent play.

The Chargers drafted thumper Denzel Perryman in the second round of the 2015 draft to push both Butler and Manti Te'o. Butler played better in 2015, but Perryman proved too talented for the Chargers to keep on the sidelines, and the University of Miami product showed that he could be a tone setter for San Diego's defense in nine starts last season.

Perryman's impressive play also made Butler expendable. On the surface, Butler's signing appears like another bad deal brokered by Chargers general manager Tom Telesco. However, San Diego had contingencies built into the contract.

Butler, who turns 28 in October, was due a $12 million option bonus on the fifth day of the 2017 league year -- $2.4 million of that would count against this year's salary cap.

So cutting Butler is basically a wash because the team saves $4.65 million in cash and has a total of $4.6 million in dead money from his contract.

While Butler was passed over by Perryman, he remains a starting-caliber player in the NFL. If healthy, should find a new team in free agency.

The Chargers also save another $4.9 million in cash by releasing running back Donald Brown, linebacker Kavell Conner and linebacker Chi Chi Ariguzo. Brown was due a $500,000 roster bonus on the third day of the new league year, which starts on Wednesday with the beginning of free agency.

With Melvin Gordon, Danny Woodhead, Branden Oliver and Dreamius Smith all signed for the 2016 season, the dependable Brown was expendable.