Texans take flier on Rex: Grossman signs 1-year deal with Houston
By David Haugh
MCT News Service
CHICAGO – Looks like the guy with the gunslinger mentality will end up taking aim in Texas.
Howdy, Rex.
Former Bears quarterback Rex Grossman, whose penchant to attempt to make the big play was his biggest strength and weakness in Chicago, has agreed to a one-year contract with the Houston Texans worth the veteran’s minimum $620,000.
Grossman did not return calls and was said to be unavailable until the Texans make the signing official as early as Friday, when the quarterback is scheduled to take a physical.
Much to Grossman’s surprise, few teams expressed interest in him during free agency. Cincinnati and Buffalo were possible homes but both went for less-proven backups. The lack of potential suitors for a quarterback with Super Bowl experience, in part, caused Grossman to change agents from Eugene Parker to Drew Rosenhaus.
Rosenhaus announced the pending agreement with the Texans on Thursday via Twitter.
The Texans figure to give Grossman, drafted by the Bears in the first round of the 2003 NFL draft, a chance to compete with former Lions QB Dan Orlovsky for the backup job to starter Matt Schaub.
Rumors had swirled that Grossman would have to settle for a job in the fledgling United Football League, which will begin next fall. But he didn’t attend the UFL workout last Saturday in Orlando and never planned to attend Saturday’s workout in Las Vegas.
Instead he will prepare for the Texans’ mini-camp beginning Monday when Grossman will begin the post-Chicago phase of his NFL career. But it will have to start in a different jersey number than the one that has become familiar to him: Schaub wears No. 8 for the Texans.
