Cost and sentimentality rarely co-exist in the NFL. Tough decisions have to be made for the benefit of the entire roster. Unfortunately, financially-motivated moves are made much easier when kickers are involved. The Denver Broncos said goodbye to veteran Brandon McManus earlier in the week, but in doing so, they gained a bit more flexibility.

Sean Payton has a grand vision, which entails some pivotal changes. McManus was a part of Denver's last championship and with the franchise for nearly a decade. His release, while being rather abrupt given the timing, makes more sense after hearing an explanation from the Broncos head coach.

“Ultimately, you’re constantly looking at what’s in the best interest for your team,” Payton said, per Mike Florio of NBC Sports. “A lot of the time, money and what your ‘musts’ are come into it. There may be a player of two that we are still looking to sign. We factored a lot of that in and then we made that decision.”

The departure opens up $3.65 million in cap space, which could be used to add more depth or even find a hidden gem who can become a key part of the team. Moreover, the 31-year-old had one of the worst seasons of his career last year (77.8  field goal completion percentage). McManus managed to rebound from Denver right away, signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday.

The Broncos are still searching for his replacement, but Payton clearly has a big-picture plan he is implementing. That includes moving on from the past.