The Houston Texans have acquired some much-needed secondary help.
The Texans signed free-agent safety Marcus Gilchirst to a one-year deal on Tuesday, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported, per Gilchrist's representation. The safety had visited the team earlier last week.
The seventh-year veteran previously spent two promising years with the Jets -- at one point starting in 29 straight games -- before suffering a season-ending knee injury last season. After Gang Green drafted two safeties in the first two rounds on the 2017 draft, the team let go of Gilchrist, who was due over $13 million over the next two seasons.
At 29 years old, Gilchrist is immediately the senior member of a young Texans safety group. Before the addition, Andre Hal and Corey Moore were slated to begin the season as Houston's starting safeties. The Texans lost veteran safety Quintin Demps to Chicago in free agency.
If Gilchrist is fully recovered from patellar tendon surgery and back in game shape by September, expect him to make a run at one of the starting safety positions and improve the weakest spot on an otherwise title-caliber defense.
