Chris Myers Released by Texans: Latest Details, Comments, Reaction

In an effort to cut salary and free up cap space, the Houston Texans will reportedly release center Chris Myers. 

The team announced the news via its official website. Executive vice president of football operations and general manager Rick Smith issued the following statement:

"

Chris has been a mainstay on our offensive line for the past seven seasons. He has been a consummate pro during his time here in Houston. Chris, his wife, Jenny, and his entire family have represented our organization in the Houston community with class. We appreciate his contributions and wish him the best as he continues his career.

"

Pro Football Talk on Twitter had the initial report.

As Dan Graziano of ESPN noted, the move will free up $6 million in cap space. But John McClain of the Houston Chronicle also tweeted that the team will be losing a steady, reliable player: 

Just how reliable? Consider this, from Albert Breer of the NFL Network:

Despite being 33, Myers is still playing at a very high level, per Nathan Jahnke of Pro Football Focus:

Myers spent his first three seasons in Denver before he was traded to the Texans for a sixth-round pick, where he's started every single game and made two Pro Bowls, in 2011 and 2012. It's safe to say the Texans won that deal. 

It remains to be seen if they'll be better off after making this decision, however. While Myers is aging and would have represented a somewhat large cap hit this year, he was a veteran presence on the line for the team and continued to be a very productive player for the team.

Myers likely won't have much trouble finding a new team in the coming weeks, if not sooner. Even at his age, a team needing to solidify its line will be happy to add him. He'll be taking a pay cut, but he likely won't be without a team for long.