The Redskins have signed fee agent wide receiver and kick returner Jerome Mathis, the team announced on Friday.

Mathis becomes the Redskins' first free agent signing this offseason of a player from another NFL team.

Mathis, 5-11 and 184 pounds, is regarded as a speedy, athletic wide receiver and kick returner.

He has spent his three-year NFL career with the Houston Texans, serving primarily as a kick return specialist. He has six career receptions for 80 yards and one touchdown.

Last year, Mathis appeared in three games and had 11 kickoff returns for a 29.1-yard average. He was placed on injured reserve in Week 4 with a lower leg injury.

His most productive season was in 2005, his rookie season. He finished the season as the NFL's second-ranked kick return specialist with 54 returns for a 28.6-yard average and two touchdowns.

For his efforts that season, Mathis earned a trip to the Pro Bowl.

In college, Mathis attended Hampton University where he broke the NCAA all-time record for kickoff return average with a 26.6-yard average. He also holds the NCAA record with six career kickoff returns for a touchdown.

Mathis finished his college career with 93 catches at wide receiver for 2,456 yards and 21 touchdowns.

While at Hampton, he participated on the track team where he won the 200-meter dash at the 2003 and 2004 East Regional.

Mathis is a native of Petersburg, Va. He attended Petersburg High School.