The Carolina Panthers have ended their decade-long relationship with .
The team announced Wednesday they released the soon-to-be 31-year-old running back.
The Panthers made Stewart the No. 13 overall pick in 2008. In 2017, the veteran running back became the franchise's all-time rushing leader. Stewart owns 7,318 career rushing yards on 1,699 carries.
"Jonathan played the game the way you want," coach Ron Rivera told . "He brought an element of toughness as a runner that set the tempo for our team. He is a great pro and I appreciate who he is as a young man and thank him for the contribution he made."
Cutting Stewart saves the Panthers $3.7 million on the salary cap and continues a trend of shedding veterans. Carolina released safety Kurt Coleman and defensive end Charles Johnson earlier this week.
Stewart earned a career-low 3.4 yards per carry average while sharing the backfield with first-round rookie Christian McCaffrey in 2017. Jettisoning Stewart opens a need in the Panthers' running corps for a between-the-tackles pounder to complement CMC in 2018.
