The Texans have placed rookie punter Brett Hartmann on injured reserve and released quarterback Kellen Clemens.
Hartmann tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the fourth quarter of Sunday's game against Atlanta. He averaged 44.4 yards per punt, a new team record, with a net average of 37.8. An undrafted rookie from Central Michigan, he also set a franchise record with 23 kickoffs on touchbacks.
The Texans worked out a couple of punters on Tuesday, with coach Gary Kubiak on Monday naming Matt Turk as a possibility to replace Hartmann. Turk punted for the Texans from 2007-10 and was the holder for Neil Rackers on field goals last season.
Clemens signed with the Texans on Nov. 23 when Matt Schaub was placed on injured reserve. The Texans brought in veteran Jake Delhomme a week later after Matt Leinart went down with a season-ending injury and rookie T.J. Yates became the Texans' starting quarterback. Delhomme was named Yates' backup over Clemens last Friday.
The Houston Chronicle reported Tuesday afternoon that the Texans will sign Jeff Garcia to be their third quarterback. Nothing has been announced by the team on that front. Garcia, 41, tried out for the Texans twice in the last two weeks. Texans quarterbacks coach Greg Knapp coached him in San Francisco from 1999-2003.
The Chronicle also reported that the Texans will sign Turk, which also has not been confirmed by the team.
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