Former Cal Punter Bryan Anger Released by Texans
The Houston Texans released former Cal punter Bryan Anger on Thursday in what appears to be a cost-cutting measure.
In December 2019, Anger signed a three-year, $7.5 million contract with the Texans. He was due to make $2.5 million in 2021 with a $2.9 million cap hit. The move saves the Texans $2.5 million.
Anger, 32, has been a consistently productive punter in his nine NFL seasons, and he is likely to sign with another team without too much difficulty.
Anger punted all 16 games for the Texans in 2020, and averaged 46.4 yards per punt.
“Bryan is an especially talented punter, always has been,” former special teams coordinator Tracy Smith told reporters on Oct. 27, 2020, according to Texas Wire. “High draft pick, one of the highest drafted punters of all time. Has got the talent, he came in with that. And he’s a hard worker. He shows up every day. He’s good with the other guys. He’s a good holder, and he works on his craft. He punts and punts and punts. And he’s had good results to show for it.”
Anger was third-round pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2012 NFL draft, which is unsually high for a punter. The only punter taken in the first round of an NFL draft was Ray Guy, selected by the Raiders with the 23rd overall pick in 1973. Guy is in the Hall of Fame.
Anger was Cal's punter for four seasons from 2008 through 2011, and he averaged 45.6 yards per boot as a junior and 44.2 as a senior.
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Cover photo of Bryan Anger by Reinhold Matay, USA TODAY Sports
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