Call it a marriage of convenience, with the Houston Texans seeking an outside linebacker to rush the passer, and unrestricted veteran free agent Charlie Clemons wanting to get to a club that would turn him loose again.

The two sides merged those goals on Wednesday afternoon, as ESPN.com learned that the Texans reached a contract agreement with Clemons, a six-year veteran who played the last three seasons for the New Orleans Saints.

Clemons, 30, will sign a four-year contract worth $6.5 million-$7 million, and the deal includes a $1.3 million signing bonus. In total compensation, Clemons will earn about $2.2 million for the 2003 season.

Houston officials have been seeking a "rush" linebacker since Jeff Posey, who had eight sacks in 2002, signed with the Buffalo Bills as an unrestricted veteran on the opening day of the free agency period. The Texans visited with a number of possible replacements, brought Clemons into town this week, and struck a quick deal.

Over the past month, Clemons had visited with a number of teams, most recently Detroit and Seattle. But the 3-4 alignment that coach Dom Capers uses in Houston fits well with Clemons' strengths, and will afford him the opportunity to be used as a pass rusher again.

"It's a system," Clemons said, "that creates sack opportunities. That's just one of the things that appealed to me."

In 2001, Clemons registered 13 ½ sacks for the Saints, and he typically lined up at end on obvious passing downs. Last year, though, he was used more as a run defender, his pass-rush opportunities were dramatically reduced, and he posted only one-half sack.

The acquisition of Clemons affords the Texans a veteran insurance policy going into the draft, since Houston coaches and team officials have filled a significant need, and won't have to "reach" for a young pass rusher in the early rounds of the lottery. Clemons joins a veteran linebacker group that also includes starters Kailee Wong, Jay Foreman and Jamie Sharper.

A former University of Georgia star, Clemons began his professional career in the CFL before signing with the St. Louis Rams in 1997. He moved on to the Saints as a restricted free agent in 2000, signing one of the most lucrative restricted free agent deals to that point.

Clemons started 15 games in 2002 and had 84 tackles. He has totaled 207 tackles and 19 sacks for his career, appearing in 69 games. He missed the entire 2000 season with a ruptured Achilles tendon but has demonstrated no lingering effects from that injury.

The Texans also re-signed backup cornerback Kenny Wright on Wednesday. Wright, who backed up Aaron Glenn and Marcus Coleman and played on passing downs, was an unrestricted free agent this off-season, appeared in all 16 games last year.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.