Another free-agent QB option emerges, as Texans cut Brian Hoyer

After one of the worst performances in playoff history, everyone knew Brian Hoyer wasn’t long for the Houston Texans. When the Texans signed Brock Osweiler as his replacement in the starting lineup, it was a foregone conclusion he’d be available. 

On Sunday, the Texans cut ties with Hoyer. NFL Network reported he was cut, after being unable to find a trade partner. 

While everyone’s lasting image of Hoyer is that four-interception, 136-yard disaster against the Kansas City Chiefs in a 30-0 wild-card playoff loss, Hoyer wasn’t that bad last season and isn’t the worst option for a team looking for a high-level backup quarterback.

In the regular season last year, Hoyer had 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He didn’t have a regular-season game in which he threw multiple interceptions. His 91.4 rating last year was better than Derek Carr, Matt Ryan, Ryan Tannehill, Teddy Bridgewater, Blake Bortles, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Jameis Winston and Joe Flacco, among others. It was better than Osweiler too.

That’s not to say Hoyer is a better option than any of those quarterbacks, because he’s not, but his playoff debacle overshadows that he was a competent quarterback in 2015. He’ll find another chance, a year after signing a two-year, $10.5 million deal with the Texans. Perhaps a team that doesn’t land an option it likes in the draft will call up Hoyer as a backup plan. Is Mark Sanchez, the Denver Broncos’ current No. 1 quarterback, definitely better? Sanchez has never posted a rating better than 88.4, for comparison.

A lot of teams don’t have a backup better than Hoyer, and a few teams might not have a starter better than Hoyer. But after that awful ending to last season, Hoyer wasn’t going to be around in Houston any longer.

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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab