Ed Reed released by Texans
The Texans were 0-7 with Ed Reed in the lineup this season. (Larry French/Getty Images)
After thriving for 11 seasons in Baltimore, Ed Reed lasted just nine games in Houston.
The Texans released the 35-year-old Reed Tuesday afternoon. News of the move was first reported by the Houston Chronicle's John McClain. Reed signed a three-year, $15 million contract with the franchise this past offseason. He locked in $6 million on that deal in guaranteed money, only to reveal once he finished the move that he was suffering from a nagging hip injury. Reed then sat out the entire preseason and the first two weeks of the regular season, before making his debut in Week 3 against Baltimore.
In an unfortunate coincidence, the Texans were 0-7 with Reed in the lineup and 2-0 without him.
"Certain situations, we just got outplayed and outcoached," Reed told ESPN's Tania Ganguli after Houston's latest loss, a 27-24 setback in Arizona. "If you're watching the game, it's not no-brainers ... Eventually, they're going to figure out what you're doing if you're doing the same old things."
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The Ravens let Reed walk in free agency over the summer, despite his contributions to their Super Bowl run. In his stead, they signed Michael Huff (whom they later released) and used their first-round pick on Matt Elam. Elam has taken over as a starter at safety, alongside James Ihedigbo.
Reed, meanwhile, failed to impress in the Houston secondary -- that hip injury and his advancing age holding him back. He played a season-low 13 (of 69 possible) snaps in the Texans' loss to the Cardinals on Sunday. Rookie D.J. Swearinger, by comparison, was on the field for all 69 of the Cardinals' offensive plays.
Since the NFL trade deadline has passed, Reed first must pass through waivers before becoming a free agent. His contract may make that a mere formality.
