The Houston Texans released former Auburn defensive lineman Marcus Harris from their practice squad on Wednesday. On Friday, Harris was back in the NFL after joining New England’s practice squad, the Patriots announced.

Harris came to Houston as seventh-round selection in the NFL Draft on April 27. Harris didn’t survive the active-roster reduction from the preseason to the regular season, but the Texans kept him by signing the defensive lineman to their practice squad on Aug. 28.

Harris had spent the first five weeks of the 2024 season on the practice squad without playing in a game when Houston released him on Wednesday.

New England signed Harris after releasing defensive tackle Trysten Hill from its practice squad earlier this week.

Each NFL team can carry a 16-player practice squad. Members of the practice squad do everything players on the active roster do except play in games. But there is a path to the field for practice-squad members. Each NFL team can elevate two practice-squad members per game to active status, making them eligible to play.

The Patriots play the Texans at noon CDT Sunday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Harris played at Auburn in the 2021, 2022 and 2023 after transferring to the Tigers following two seasons at Kansas.

The college change was a homecoming for Harris, who had been a prep standout at Park Crossing High School in Montgomery.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

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