Just reported earlier this morning, former Arizona Cardinals kicker Neil Rackers has beat out Kris Brown for the Texans kicking role. Brown, who has been with the team since it’s inaugural season, will be looking for a job elsewhere. With this move, the last “Original Texan” has been cast off into the sunset.
The Houston Chronicle:
"“I’m excited, very excited,” Rackers said today. “Right now, I’m thinking a lot about Kris and his family and their situation. I respect Kris so much.“I’m excited to be part of a really good team. My mind-set when I came here was to compete with Kris knowing that it would make both of us better kickers. I’m a competitor. I’m a team guy. I play with a lot of heart, and I’ll do anything I can to help my team win."
So the Texans are finally willing to move on after Brown’s poorest season with the team, a season in which he only made 66% of his kicks and also missing an extra point. Rackers had a field goal success rate of 97% in the regular season, but went only 1 for 3 in the postseason. On paper, this looks like the right move, but Rackers has also shown some inconsistency in the past. Kris Brown will likely find a new job soon kicking for another team, so a return to the Texans is something we’ll probably never see.