Rookie linebacker Kevin Minter shakes the hand of team president Michael Bidwill after Minter signed his first NFL contract Monday.

Brian Hoyer's time as a Cardinal showed a little promise at the end of the 2012 season.

But as the roster evolved through this offseason – and with Hoyer's restricted free-agent tender contract of more than $2 million an increasing albatross around his neck – Hoyer's place on the team became tenuous. Monday, it ended with the Cardinals, unable to trade him, releasing the quarterback. The Cardinals needed a roster spot after deciding to sign two tryout players from this weekend's rookie minicamp: quarterback Caleb TerBush

and center Adam Bice. The Cards now have a maximum 90 on their offseason roster, although until their officially sign their last four draft picks, they still have some room to maneuver if they so wish.

Hoyer, who signed with the Cards near the end of last season, was only a restricted free agent for a second straight year through a quirk in the rules. It allowed the Cards to tender him an offer, necessary because at the time the organization had to cover itself at the position.

They were able to sign free agent Drew Stanton in early March. But the blow to Hoyer's chances came after the Cardinals traded for Carson Palmer, essentially pushing Hoyer to third-string and making his contract cost prohibitive.

The team tried to see if there was a trade to be made, but nothing materialized.

Now behind Palmer and Stanton is second-year man Ryan Lindley and TerBush, who was undrafted out of Purdue.

MINTER SIGNS DEAL

The Cardinals officially signed second-round pick Kevin Minter, the linebacker out of LSU, to his first four-year contract. Minter is the fifth draft pick to sign his deal. Four rookies remain unsigned: guard Jonathan Cooper (first round), safety Tyrann Mathieu (third round), guard Earl Watford (fourth round) and linebacker Alex Okafor (fourth round).