Texans tight end Jordan Thomas returned to practice Monday, starting his three-week window to be activated from injured reserve- designated to return.
Under NFL rules, Thomas has to be activated by the end of the three weeks or remain on injured reserve for the rest of the season.
Thomas cracked his ribs during a preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams. He caught four touchdowns as a rookie, but lost ground in the tight end competition at the start of training camp. He strained his hamstring at the start of camp and missed a significant amount of time.