WASHINGTON (CBSDC) – Now that safety Ed Reed will officially be released by the Texans, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, the conversation about whether the Redskins should consider signing him to shore up a weak secondary can move from hypothetical to serious.

Reed, who signed a 3-year, $15-million deal with Houston in the offseason, walks away from the organization $6-million richer, and into Free Agency with seven weeks left in the 2013-14 NFL season.

“I would sign a Ed Reed for the rest of the year, to shore up a hurting defensive backfield,” Fred Smoot said on 106.7 The Fan on Tuesday.

“I still think he can play, I just think the Houston Texans realized that their year was over with,” Smoot said, “They wanted to probably let Swearinger and a couple more of the young get out there and get some time on the field so they can see what they got coming back next year.

“So I think it more it was the Texans trying to move forward. I don’t think it really had nothing to do with Ed Reed. And yes, he is not the Ed Reed we’re accustomed to, but I’ll take a three-fourths Ed Reed before a lot of players in this NFL. I promise you I will.”