The Post’s Rick Maese went on a tweeting spree this afternoon to let us know that the Redskins have kicked off an impressive personnel purge, beginning with three veterans: wide receiver/returner Antwaan Randle El, tailback Rock Cartwright, and guard Randy Thomas.

Fred Smoot, Cornelius Griffin and Ladell Betts are also hitting the chopping block. Such large-scale moves might mean a big splash as free agency opens at 12:01 a.m. The moves will save the Redskins over $10 million next season, plenty of room for a big name signing.

The six players released (so far) had a combined 36 continuous years of experience — 40, if you count Smoot’s first stint with the team before he went to Minnesota in 2005 — with the Redskins. Normally, we’d be kind of surprised at a sports team letting go of nearly four decades of experience in one fell swoop. But this is the NFL, where loyalty means little if it’s expensive; also, it’s hardly surprising that the ‘Skins would be making cuts in advance of the opening of free agency at a minute after midnight this evening. Will any of you ‘Skins fans be crying over these losses, perhaps besides Betts? I mean, I know watching Thomas ride the bench with an injury, Cartwright back up the back up running back, and Randel El dance around with legs akimbo for a six-yard punt return will be tough to get over, but I’m sure you’ll cope, right?