The Houston Texans have signed free agent tight end Irv Smith Jr., the NFL team announced on Monday.

A former Alabama standout, Smith ended the 2024 NFL season with the Texans.

Released at the end of the preseason last year by the Kansas City Chiefs, Smith joined Houston’s practice squad. He played in the final five games of the regular season – the first two as a practice-squad elevation – and both postseason games for the Texans.

Smith did not have a reception in the regular season but caught a 2-yard pass in a 23-14 loss to Kansas City in the second round of the AFC playoffs. Smith had 123 offensive snaps and 19 special-teams plays in his seven games with Houston.

The three tight ends who had regular-season receptions in 2024 for the Texans remain with Houston. For the Texans last season, Dalton Schultz had 53 receptions for 532 yards and two touchdowns, Cade Stover had 15 receptions for 133 yards and one touchdown and Brevin Jordan had two receptions for 7 yards in two games.

Terms of Smith’s contract were not disclosed.

A second-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in the 2019 NFL Draft, Smith had 66 receptions for 676 yards and seven touchdowns in 29 games in his first two NFL seasons. Since he missed the 2021 campaign because of a torn meniscus, Smith has 43 receptions for 297 yards and three touchdowns in 27 games. He played for the Vikings in 2022 and the Cincinnati Bengals in 2023.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.