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The Houston Texans needed to get a quarterback in this year's NFL Draft but they best they could come up with was 4th-round pick Tom Savage. With Ryan Fitzpatrick currently the projected starter for the 2014 NFL season, their team is need dire need of something to look forward to with their QB situation, and now they have at least a glimmer of hope.
That will come in the form of New England Patriots backup Ryan Mallett, whom they just acquired.
Ryan Mallett has been traded to the #Texans, source says
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 31, 2014
Why did the #Texans have to trade for Ryan Mallett instead of claim him? The #Cowboys were in talks with #Patriots, too.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 31, 2014
In order to get Mallett, Houston will surrender a sixth-round pick while waiving Case Keenum to open up a roster spot.
Sixth-round pick (as @taniaganguli said) going back to New England not a bad price for Mallett. Texans could recoup it, in a '16 comp pick.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) August 31, 2014
#Texans have informed QB Case Keenum that they will waive him (in order to make room for Mallett), source said.
— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) August 31, 2014
A third-round pick of the Patriots out by way of the Arkansas Razorbacks in 2011 (74th overall), Mallett has as many interceptions (1) as he does completions in the NFL.
The obvious connection here is new Texans head coach Bill O'Brien, who coached Mallett in New England during his rookie season.
In college, he started 26 games for Arkansas and threw 69 touchdown passes and 24 interceptions while completing 57.8 percent of his passing attempts.
This is a good deal for all parties involved. The Pats didn't need Mallett after getting Jimmy Garoppolo in the 2nd-round of this year's NFL Draft.