By Nick Wagoner
Senior Writer
Pace Photo Gallery

After 12 seasons as one of the foundations of the Rams, the team parted ways with left tackle Orlando Pace  on Tuesday afternoon as Pace was given his release. 

The move comes as little surprise as the Rams continue in their efforts to clear up space under the salary cap to continue their roster makeover.

After it became clear that attempts to re-structure Pace’s contract were not going to work, the Rams set on course to find a trade partner. Failing that, the team settled on releasing him Tuesday afternoon in a difficult decision.

“I can’t begin to thank Orlando for all he has meant to the Rams organization, since we selected him with the first overall pick in the 1997 draft,” Rams Owner/Chairman Chip Rosenbloom said in a statement. “It is never easy to end a relationship that has had as much success as ours, but in the best interest of Orlando and the Rams, we feel now is the right time. As a Super Bowl Champion and seven-time Pro Bowler, he has been a true professional and will always go down as one of the finest Rams of all time. We wish him, Carla and their children the very best as they move onto the next chapter of their football journey.”

Removing Pace from the equation will save the team just shy of $6 million in salary cap space this season, essentially enough to sign its entire draft class.

In his dozen years with the team, Pace was one of the NFL’s premiere offensive tackles, going to seven Pro Bowls.

The Rams traded up to get Pace in the 1997 NFL Draft, using the No. 1 overall pick to grab him out of Ohio State. From that day, Pace became a cornerstone of the Rams’ franchise when he was plugged in at left tackle, a spot he did not vacate aside from injury in his time with the Rams.

“Orlando Pace has been a mainstay on the Rams’ offensive line since he was drafted in 1997, and has proven to be one of the most efficient offensive tackles throughout his career,” General Manager Billy Devaney said.  “We thank him for all that he has done for the St. Louis Rams and we wish him the best for the remainder of his career.”

Included in that stay were two Super Bowl appearances and a Super Bowl victory in which Pace served as the chief protector for the “Greatest Show on Turf.”

Along the way, Pace played in 158 games with 154 career starts. Of course, Pace suffered a pair of season-ending injuries in 2006 and 2007 that limited him to nine games in those two years.

Pace bounced back in 2008, playing in 14 contests. At 33, Pace had three years left on his contract with the Rams.

Check back to stlouisrams.com for more on this story later today.