Veteran defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis has decided to hang up his cleats.
He informed the Chicago Bears that he plans to retire, the team announced.
It's a surprising development given that he just signed a one-year, $1 million contract last month.
Half of the deal is guaranteed, and the Bears are regarded as likely to try to recover a $285,000 signing bonus.
Ellis, 28, is a former first-round draft pick who started every game for the New Orleans Saints last season.
The former USC star was an All-American and Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year drafted seventh overall in the 2008 NFL draft.
Now, he's done with football and the Bears are scrambling to acquire depth.
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Aaron Wilson covers the Ravens for The Baltimore Sun