The Houston Texans are in the midst of some serious spending this offseason. Unfortunately, it seems cornerback Johnathan Joseph will not be part of the payroll.

The Texans announced that Joseph has mutually agreed to part ways and become an unrestricted free agent, via the team's official website:

“Johnathan has been a consummate professional, team captain and one of the leaders of our defense for the past nine years. It is rare for a player to sustain such a high level of play for over a decade and that says so much about him and his dedication to the game. He is an exceptional teammate, mentor, husband and father. His impact on and off the field makes him quite possibly the most celebrated free agent signing in franchise history. The entire Houston Texans organization thanks Johnathan for the contributions he made to our team and the Houston community. We wish him and his family all the best as he pursues free agency.”

Joseph began his career with the Cincinnati Bengals after being taken in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Once his rookie contract in Cincinnati was up, he signed a five-year deal with Houston and it would eventually become the place where he enjoyed the most success.

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It is safe to say that the change of scenery worked out for Joseph after earning trips to the Pro Bowl in his first two seasons with the Texans along with second-team All-Pro honors following a stellar 2011 campaign and would remain as a stabilizing factor in the secondary for the rest of the decade.

The decision to part ways as opposed to retiring in Houston indicates that Joseph still feels he has some gas left in the tank. It will be interesting to see if the veteran ultimately lands with a contender to try and end his career with a shot at a Super Bowl.