Skip to main content

Texans acquire QB Mallett, cut QB Keenum

By WTOP Staff

CHRIS DUNCAN
AP Sports Writer

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans made a flurry of moves Sunday, swapping out backup quarterbacks and welcoming back safety Danieal Manning.

The Texans acquired quarterback Ryan Mallett in a trade with New England and released Case Keenum, who had been competing with rookie fourth-round pick Tom Savage for the No. 2 role behind Ryan Fitzpatrick.

The 6-foot-6 Mallett, a third-round pick in 2011, was Tom Brady’s backup the past three seasons, but was passed up in training camp this year by second-round draft pick Jimmy Garoppolo. Mallett played in only four games in three seasons in New England and he’ll have a bigger opportunity in Houston under Bill O’Brien, who was the Patriots’ offensive coordinator in Mallett’s first year.

Keenum, a record-setting quarterback at the University of Houston, went 28 for 52 with two interceptions in the preseason, not enough to keep his roster spot after he started eight games last season.

The Texans also claimed receiver Damaris Johnson from the Eagles, cornerback Daryl Morris from the 49ers and offensive tackle Jeff Adams from Tennessee. Johnson was a record-setting kick returner at Tulsa before the Eagles signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2012. Johnson had 21 catches for 270 yards in two seasons with Philadelphia.

Receiver Mike Thomas and safety Chris Clemons were cut. Thomas was expected to challenge DeVier Posey for the No. 3 receiver position. Thomas was a fourth-round draft pick in 2009 by Jacksonville and hasn’t played since finishing the 2012 season with Detroit. He has 176 catches for 1,796 yards in his career.

Clemons played five seasons in Miami and was brought in to provide veteran leadership after Manning signed with Cincinnati. The Bengals left Manning off their 53-man roster and the Texans decided to bring him back and let Clemons go.

Manning was a second-round pick by Chicago in 2006 and played his first five seasons with the Bears. He was signed along with cornerback Johnathan Joseph in 2011 to provide leadership to a secondary that was part of the league’s worst pass defense the previous season. Manning made 124 tackles and intercepted four passes in his previous three seasons in Houston.

He started six games last year before his season ended with a right knee injury in a mid-October game against St. Louis. Manning’s agent, Russel Hicks, confirmed on Sunday that Manning will sign with the Texans pending a physical.

Houston also waived cornerback Josh Victorian and placed offensive tackle Will Yeatman on injured reserve. The Texans reached an injury settlement with rookie receiver Anthony McClung.

The Texans also announced their practice squad: receivers Travis Labhart and EZ Nwachukwu, defensive end Keith Browner, linebacker Max Bullough, tight end Anthony Denham, fullback Toben Opurum, cornerback Marcus Williams and offensive linemen Matt Feiler, James Ferentz and Alex Kupper.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote