Quarterback Matt Leinart signed a one-year contract with the Houston Texans, the team announced Tuesday.
Leinart, who was cut by the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday, received a base salary of $630,000, and the deal could grow to $1 million, *The Houston Chronicle* reported via Twitter.
"He's obviously a talented young man to have been the 10th pick in the draft," Texans coach Gary Kubiaktold the team's official Web site. "Those things happen in this business, and it's a chance for him to get a fresh start.
"We're getting a very smart player who has been productive, and we'll see if we can kind of get the motor going again and all that back. So it's a nice try for us as a football team and it makes us deeper at the quarterback position."
The Texans were looking for insurance at backup quarterback after Dan Orlovsky threw two interceptions in Houston's last preseason game last week. The Texans cut backup quarterback John David Booty, another former USC quarterback, over the weekend despite his two touchdown passes in the preseason finale.
The Cardinals took Leinart with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2006 draft, after he guided the Trojans to two national championships and a third title-game appearance.
With Kurt Warner retired, Leinart figured to finally have his chance to start this season, but Derek Anderson won the Cardinals' job in training camp.
Leinart complained that he had issues with Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt, and the two met late in the preseason. Leinart threw for 3,893 yards with 14 touchdowns and 20 interceptions with Arizona.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
