A starter has emerged at the kicker position for the Houston Texans entering the 2012 season.
Rookie Randy Bullock will be placed on IR with a torn groin muscle after injuring the muscle earlier in camp and consequently missing some practice.
Coach Gary Kubiak said that was the reason Bullock didn’t have the length on kickoffs that the Texans had expected when they selected him late in the fifth round (161st overall) this past April out of Texas A&M.
“He came in today, and [the groin area] was black and blue,” Kubiak said, via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. ”He couldn’t even lift a leg. I’m really disappointed for the kid because he had kicked very well. But I’m also happy for Shayne [Graham] because he’s done a great job.”
Photo Via Houston Texans Official Facebook Page
Albeit he had kicked well this preseason for Houston — making all five field goal attempts, including efforts from 48, 49 and 53 yards out with solid distance on kickoffs — Shayne Graham won the starting position by default.
He enters his 12th season in the league. Graham, 34, has made the Pro Bowl with the Cincinnati Bengals. He’s also spent short stints with the Baltimore Ravens, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins and New York Giants.
In other words, he’s got a leg up on Terrell Owens in the pursuit of being the first player to play for all 32 teams in the league.
Verse of This Piece: “I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘Go fall into the sea.’ And if you have no doubts in your mind and believe that what you say will happen, God will do it for you. So I tell you to believe that you have received the things you ask for in prayer, and God will give them to you.”—Mark 11:23-24
Michael Gartman is a College Football and NFL Senior Writer, the AFC South and NFC West Lead Writer and the Founder, CEO of GridironGrit.com. He also writes for RantPolitical.com, where he reports on topics across all sides of the political spectrum and analyzes important issues in the liberty movement. Follow @_MichaelGartman, @RantPolitical and @GridironGrit on Twitter!
