What's next for former Texans and Bergen Catholic star Brian Cushing?

The Texans released Brian Cushing on Tuesday, ending his nine-year run with the team and making the former Bergen Catholic star a free agent for the first time in his career.

So what’s next for Cushing? It’s hard to say. 

Cushing is 31 and showed at the end of last season, when he played five games, that he’s still capable of contributing. But he could also walk away after making more than $45 million in his career. 

Tuesday, Cushing made no mention of retiring in a farewell Instagram post to Houston. But he also gave no indication of what’s next. 

COLUMN:Brian Cushing gave everything he had, faces reality that NFL doesn't give back

NEWS:Texans release former Bergen Catholic star Brian Cushing

If Cushing does want to keep playing, there’s likely a spot for him in the league — if he’s willing to take far less than the $7 million-plus he was slated to make in 2018. He’s a savvy player who was highly-regarded in the Texans’ locker room. But his days as a dominant defensive force are over. Cushing hasn’t been the same player since he missed 20 of 32 possible games in 2012-13 because of injury. Any team that picks him up now will be hoping that Cushing can contribute as a situational defender and as a leader. 

But there will certainly be some teams that want nothing to do with Cushing after his latest violation of the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. Cushing was suspended for 10 games in 2017 after testing positive for a banned substance. It’s the second violation of his career: he also served a four-game suspension in 2010. 

The Texans were supposed to be playoff contenders last season. Cushing let them down; his suspension was one of the many reasons Houston’s season fell apart.

It remains to be seen if Cushing will get a shot at redemption. Or if he wants one. 

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