Just more than a week removed from being cut by the Carolina Panthers, offensive tackle Matt Kalil did not take long to find himself a new franchise.
The former fourth-overall pick signed with the Houston Texans on Friday, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported, via sources informed of the situation.
Kalil, 29, began his NFL days as a standard in the Minnesota Vikings starting lineup — earning a Pro Bowl bid in his rookie season — but has ended up on injured reserve in two of the last three seasons.
Drafted in 2012 out of USC by the Vikings, Kalil was a stalwart at left tackle, starting every game over his first four seasons. However, in 2016, he played just two contests and finished on IR.
He moved on to the Panthers with a five-year deal and started every game in 2017, but never played in 2018 with a knee injury as the culprit. With injury problems and uneven play, his departure from the Panthers wasn’t all that surprising.
Now, Kalil will likely battle for a starting spot at left tackle, better known as blocking Deshaun Watson‘s blindside.