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Houston Texans send Ed Reed packing

Less than eight months after signing and less than 48 hours after criticizing the Texans' play and coaching, Ed Reed's time in Houston is over. The Texans released the future Hall of Famer on Tuesday. Reed acknowledged the release in a tweet sent out shortly after the news broke.

Reed was recently demoted. He had been relegated to playing in the team's dime package, while Shiloh Keo and D.J. Swearinger started in the team's base package. Reed played just 12 snaps on Sunday and spouted off after the loss, saying the Texans were "outplayed and outcoached."

“Everybody has their own feelings about what’s happening,” interim coach Wade Phillips said on Tuesday. “They have their own ideas about what’s happening or didn’t happen. We try to keep everything in house. That’s our policy here and that’s what we try to do and that’s what I’m going to do.”

Reed, 35, was the team's big free agent acquisition but missed all of training camp and the first two games of the season after offseason hip surgery. While teams hesitated to throw Reed's way, the veteran was wildly ineffective also. His Texans career ends without an interception or a pass defensed. The Texans were 0-7 with Reed in 2013.

Reed signed a three-year deal worth $15 million before this season with $5 million guaranteed. The Houston Chronicle and KRIV first reported Reed's release on Tuesday. While the Texans decided to use him when the opposition was in throwing situations, Reed still thinks he can play. During the season, Reed cited his lack of production on quarterbacks' not throwing his way. According to ProFootballFocus, Reed was thrown at just three times.

The Texans signed Reed and let Glover Quin walk this offseason. Quin joined the Detroit Lions and has provided much-needed stability to their secondary.