Former Alabama cornerback joins NFL playoff team

The Houston Texans have signed cornerback Anthony Averett to their practice squad, the NFL team announcedon Monday.

The former Alabama defensive back joins the Texans as they prepare to play the Los Angeles Chargers in the first round of the AFC playoffs at 3:30 p.m. CST Saturday at NRG Stadium in Houston.

Averett fills the roster spot opened when the Texans signed cornerback D’Angelo Ross from their practice squad for their 53-man active roster on Saturday, and he played 48 defensive snaps in Sunday’s 23-14 victory over the Tennessee Titans.

Each NFL team can elevate two players from its practice squad to active status for each game, and that rule includes playoff contests.

Averett was in training camp and played in the preseason with the Pittsburgh Steelers in August and spent the first eight weeks of the season on the team’s practice squad before being released with an injury settlement on Oct. 28.