Texans Cut Veteran Punter Shane Lechler
HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans have released veteran punter Shane Lechler just before what would have been his 19th NFL season.
Lechler was let go after the Texans decided to go with undrafted rookie Trevor Daniel.
The 42-year-old Lechler spent the first 13 years of his career with the Raiders before joining the Texans in 2013.
He started 206 games for Oakland and never missed a game as a Texan, making all 80 starts in his five seasons with the team.
Coach Bill O'Brien says making the final cuts to the roster are always hard, but that this one is particularly difficult.
"Shane Lechler's one of the best pros I've ever been around, and if you look back at kind of who I've been around, I've been around some good pros, and he's one of the best," said O'Brien.
Lechler, a fifth-round draft pick out of Texas A&M in 2000, was a seven-time Pro Bowler and was first-team All-Pro six times.
He ranks second in NFL history with 1,444 punts for 68,676 yards.
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