Texans officially release Kenny Stills

Attention contenders: A veteran catcher with a lot of experience is available. As long as none of the non-suitors claims it.

The Texans have officially released Kenny Stills. Since the move comes after the trade deadline, Stills will have to go through waivers. Each team will have the opportunity to submit a claim for “dibs” on Stills and their remaining five 2020 game checks, at $ 410,000 each.

Stills, originally drafted by the Saints in 2013, was traded to the Dolphins in 2015. He signed a four-year, $ 32 million contract to stay in Miami in March 2017. Miami traded Stills with tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Texans in September 2019, for two first-round picks and one second-round pick.

This contract will officially expire if Stills allows the waivers, allowing him to sign with any team. Stills would also have the option of receiving the balance of his salary from the Texans as severance pay, and he would be able to keep whatever he earns in a new town.

Before the trade deadline, the name of Texans receiver Will Fuller was at the center of most trade discussions. Cutting him past the transaction deadline becomes the only way Texans potentially avoid paying his salary balance, and the timing of the move may have been designed specifically to try to induce a team with needs to the position of pulling the trigger. a waiver request.

The Texans would have avoided the entire salary of $ 6.975 million by cutting Stills before the start of the 2020 season. Looking back, that would have been the best decision; this year, Stills caught just 11 passes for 144 yards and a touchdown.