Texans release McCardell, Stanley, 18 others
McCardell was signed just before training camp to bolster Houston's receiving group, but the emergence of third-round pick Jacoby Jones pushed the 37-year-old out of a job. McCardell, who was released by San Diego after last season, was injured through a big chunk of camp and had just one reception in the preseason.
Jones, a former track standout from Division II Lane College, caught on so quickly that coach Gary Kubiak kept just five receivers.
"We drafted him (Jones) in the third round and had I been standing here today with him having a slow process of becoming a player in this league and helping this team, then there's no doubt we'd be keeping six," Kubiak said. "But his growth in such a short period of time and what he's been able to do has helped us go with five wide receivers and that's the bottom line."