SAN DIEGO (AP) - Kicker Nate Kaeding became a free agent Tuesday after the San Diego Chargers released him from injured reserve.

Kaeding is due $1.1 million in termination pay.

Normally, Kaeding would have been waived. But waivers for vested veterans, as well as the trade deadline, were pushed back two days to Thursday because of potential complications from Superstorm Sandy.

Kaeding was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 22 with a groin injury so that the team could sign wide receiver Danario Alexander. The Chargers said then that they'd release Kaeding when he was healthy.

Kaeding was hurt in practice on Sept. 28, two days before a game at Kansas City. The Chargers signed Nick Novak that day.

Kaeding was drafted in the third round in 2004 with one of the three picks the Chargers obtained along with Philip Rivers from the New York Giants in exchange for Eli Manning.

Manning has led the Giants to two Super Bowl titles.