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Texans news: Houston signs new QB after Graham Mertz's brutal injury
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- Texans news: Houston signs new QB after Graham Mertz's brutal injury
Texans news: Houston signs new QB after Graham Mertz's brutal injury appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Houston Texans added veteran quarterback Brett Rypien after Graham Mertz suffered a season-ending torn ACL during Thursday's 27-7 preseason loss to the Los Angeles Chargers .
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ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Saturday that Houston signed Rypien while moving Mertz to injured reserve.
"Texans signed veteran QB Brett Rypien and placed QB Graham Mertz on season-ending injured reserve."
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Mertz suffered the injury shortly before halftime against Los Angeles . With two seconds remaining in the second quarter, the quarterback attempted to scramble for a first down on third-and-long before going down awkwardly and immediately grabbing his leg.
Mertz managed to walk off the field under his own power but did so with a noticeable limp. Further evaluation revealed the torn ACL, bringing his second NFL season to an abrupt end.
The injury represents another significant setback for Mertz, who previously tore an ACL during his final college season at Florida . He was still recovering from the injury when the Texans selected him in the 2025 NFL Draft.
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Houston will now turn to Rypien to provide additional depth in its quarterback room. The 30-year-old has appeared in 11 games during his five-year NFL career, spending time with the Denver Broncos from 2020-22, the Los Angeles Rams in 2023 and most recently the Cincinnati Bengals in 2025.
Rypien has completed 58.3% of his career passes for 950 yards, four touchdowns and nine interceptions while posting a 59.9 passer rating.
The Texans will continue their preseason schedule Thursday when they face the Las Vegas Raiders at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. Rypien's addition gives Houston another experienced option as the team adjusts to losing Mertz for the remainder of the 2026 season.
Related: Texans fear ACL injury for third-string QB in preseason opener
