"Marcel Shipp was cut by the Cardinals on Monday.

I prefer to think of it as being paroled.

Seven years toiling for the Big Red is punishment enough for anyone. And while I'm sure losing his $1.75 million salary will hurt - as will the sting of losing his job because of his cap number and not his ability - it won't take long for "The Tug Boat" to see the sunny side of this.

Shipp arrived from the University of Massachusetts as an undrafted free agent in 2001 and was constantly pushed aside by other overpaid and underperforming backs, from Thomas Jones to Emmitt Smith to J.J. Arrington. He came back from an ugly dislocated ankle injury in training camp in 2004 and gained 2,197 yards - most of it straight ahead and on his own.

He's 30 now, but you can be sure the phone will start ringing. Good teams in search of content and character would love to have him as a backup.

Teams will appreciate what he brings to the table - the never-ending motor, a special teams performer and a team-first player who enhances any locker room.

And like any parolee, Shipp will have a new suit and a new lease on life."