The Minnesota Vikings will have a new starting left guard next season.

They released veteran Charlie Johnson on Friday. The ninth-year pro had spent the last four seasons as a starter in Minnesota.

The move frees up $2.5 million in salary-cap space for the Vikings this season. Johnson was scheduled to be paid a base salary of $2.45 million plus a $50,000 workout bonus. All of that will be wiped off the Vikings’ books. Because he did not receive a signing bonus when he did his most recent contract – a two-year deal last offseason – there will be no dead money counting against the cap.

The Vikings had $17.6 million in available salary-cap space before Friday’s move, according to ESPN Stats & Information salary data.

Johnson, 30, started all but three games over the last four seasons for the Vikings. He spent the first five years of his NFL career with the Indianapolis Colts, who picked him in the sixth round of the 2006 draft.

There’s no clear-cut replacement for Johnson, although Joe Berger, who started parts of last season at right guard in place of the injured Brandon Fusco could get a shot at the job. However, Berger is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next month. The Vikings also have David Yankey, a fifth-round pick last season who could not get on the field as a rookie.

It all could point to the Vikings drafting Iowa tackle Brandon Scherff with the 11th overall pick and moving him to guard.