Source: Jets trade Mason to Texans

Derrick Mason's playing time was cut deeply on Sunday. Tuesday night, the Jets gave him the boot.

In a stunning and swift move a week before the NFL's trade deadline, the Jets shipped the 37-year-old wide receiver to the Texans for a seventh-round draft pick, according to a league source. The Houston Chronicle first reported the move.

In August, Mason was brought in to be the third wideout behind Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress after the Jets cut ties with Jerricho Cotchery. He was supposed to increase production as a slot receiver on third down, but instead had only 13 receptions for 115 yards in five games.

On Sunday, Mason was in for only six snaps in a 30-21 loss to the Patriots. The week before, he made critical comments in the aftermath of the Jets' defeat in Baltimore, starting a smoldering brushfire by saying he believed there were "cracks" within the Jets' offensive scheme.

"Obviously, there are some things that have to change,'' Mason said then. "It's evident.''

"There's some cracks and don't nobody want to really identify the cracks,'' he said. "So until we identify the cracks, we will keep on having the same problems. So whenever somebody wants to seal up the cracks, then we'll continue to move forward as an offense."

Mason said it was "a coincidence'' he didn't play much in the next game after he made his comments. Rex Ryan, who initially thought the 15-year veteran would catch 80-90 passes this season, did his best Monday to make it clear that Mason wasn't being punished.

"I can tell you this: It had nothing to do with the conversation he had with the media,'' Ryan said. "I had a conversation with Derrick [last week], and the reason he never played as much [Sunday] had absolutely nothing to do with the conversation he had with media. We never brought it up.

"I didn't put a muzzle on anybody.''

Mason had been flying home each Monday morning to Nashville, Tenn., to be with his family, then returning to New Jersey the following day to begin learning the game plan for the upcoming opponent. However, he didn't appear to be well versed with the playbook, and the emergence of rookie Jeremy Kerley also might have played a factor in the Jets' sending Mason packing.

The rookie wideout, who played mostly on special teams the first four weeks, was solid in his 18 snaps against the Patriots. He made three receptions for 33 yards and scored his first touchdown on a 9-yard throw from Mark Sanchez.

Now Kerley will move up on the depth chart, benefiting from Mason's quick departure.