The Houston Texans announced this week that the team has signed kicker Neil Rackers, 33, to compete for the starting spot in 2010. 

A former All-Pro, Rackers has kicked for the Arizona Cardinals for the past seven seasons.  In 2009, he missed one of just 17 field goal attempts.  Rackers set the NFL single-season record for field goals with 40 in 2005.  Texans general manager Rick Smith signed Rackers to a two-year contract worth $4.1 million.

Rackers is expected to compete with Kris Brown to start in Houston.  Brown has been the kicker since the Texans’ inaugural season, but had an awful season in 2009, making just 21-of-32 field goals.  He missed two field goals that could have forced overtime, one against Indianapolis and another against Tennessee.  As Brown continued to miss, he became a lightning rod for Texans fans impatient to see Houston make its first trip to the playoffs.

Rackers has been money throughout his career from inside the 50 yard line, connecting on 83.4 percent (186-of-223) of his attempts.  He does not possess the range that Brown has displayed, attempting only two field goals from beyond the 50 in the past two years.  On kickoffs, he has averaged a 23.7 percent touchback rate, fourth-best in the NFL since 2005. 

Rackers has earned a reputation for tenacity in kick return coverage, notching 37 special teams tackles in his years at Arizona.  He’s also one of the league’s best at delivering onside kicks.