Ten-year veteran linebacker Robert Jones, who began his NFL career in Texas, might now conclude it there as well.

An unrestricted free agent who played for the Washington Redskins in 2001, Jones has signed a one-year contract with the expansion Houston Texans, and should compete for a starting job at inside linebacker. The contract is for one year and is worth $750,000.

Because of a new rule which provides teams a salary cap discount for signing veterans to minimum-salary contracts, Jones will count only $450,000 against the spending limit for the 2002 season.

Jones, 32, began his career as the first-round choice of the Dallas Cowboys in the 1992 draft. He played four seasons with the Cowboys, was a fixture on their stellar defense, and was a part of three Super Bowl championship teams. Since his departure from the team in 1996, though, Jones has never played longer than three seasons in one city.

He has been with the St. Louis Rams (1996-97), Miami Dolphins (1998-2000) and the Redskins (2001). Jones played in 15 games for Washington last season and started nine of them, recording 40 tackles.

The former East Carolina standout can play both the middle and strongside spots and likely will be used as by the Texans as an inside linebacker. The team has visited with several free agents who were candidates to fill that position and considered signing former Philadelphia Eagles star Jeremiah Trotter.

Jones has started 12 or more games eight times in his career and his resume includes a pair of 100-tackle seasons. He has appeared in 151 games and started 128 of them, and has 757 tackles, eight sacks, three interceptions and 23 passes defensed.

He is expected to participate in the Texans' mini-camp this weekend.

The undrafted rookie free agents signed by Houston were: linebackers Tyrone Jones, Texas; Robert Mackey, Winston-Salem State; Jimmy McClain, Troy State; Terrell Washington, Illinois and Aaron Thompson, Maryland; receivers John Minardi, Colorado and Eric Parker, Tennessee; running backs Delvon Flowers, Arizona State and Ed Stansbury, UCLA; offensive tackles Jelani Hawkins, San Jose State, and John Miller, Duke; cornerback Larry Austin, Virginia Tech; and tight end Joey Knapp, Texas-El Paso.

The Texans also waived defensive tackle Jason Nikolao.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.