HOUSTON -- The Houston Texans have made a significant roster move by claiming safety Kareem Jackson off waivers after he was recently released by the Denver Broncos. The team announced this decision on Tuesday, which comes in the wake of Texans safety Jimmie Ward being placed on injured reserve due to a quad injury suffered in Sunday's loss to the Cleveland Browns.

Jackson, 35, has experienced a challenging season marked by two suspensions, the most recent being a four-game suspension. He was also ejected from two games due to repeated violations of unnecessary roughness rules. The first ejection occurred during a Week 2 game against the Washington Commanders when he illegally hit tight end Logan Thomas.

Following that incident, Jackson faced a three-game suspension after being ejected in the fourth quarter of a Week 7 matchup against the Green Bay Packers for a sideline hit on Packers tight end Luke Musgrave. However, his suspension was later reduced to two games after an appeal. In Week 11, Jackson once again found himself in hot water when he delivered a hard hit on quarterback Joshua Dobbs of the Minnesota Vikings, resulting in a four-game suspension for repeated violations of player safety rules.

Jackson's return to the Texans also marks a reunion with Texans coach DeMeco Ryans, whom he played with during his first two seasons in Houston. Having been drafted by the Texans in the first round of the 2010 draft, Jackson played a total of nine seasons in Houston before joining the Broncos. Expressing his excitement about returning to the Texans, Jackson told KPRC-TV on Tuesday, "It's all coming full circle, having spent a lot of time in Houston. I'm really excited and happy for DeMeco and all the success he's having."

Before being claimed by the Texans, Jackson started 69 games for the Broncos over the past five seasons and had eight starts this year. After serving his four-game suspension, he returned to practice last Wednesday, but was not activated for Sunday night's game against the New England Patriots.

Interestingly, with Jackson's addition, the Texans now have two of the three players who have been suspended this season for illegal hits. Veteran linebacker Denzel Perryman is another player on the Texans roster who has faced suspension for such violations. The third player is Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Damontae Kazee.

The Texans' acquisition of Jackson showcases their commitment to strengthening their defense and addressing key positions within the team. Time will tell how the addition of Jackson impacts the Texans' performance in the remainder of the season.