Brian Hoyer will reunite with Bill O’Brien with the Houston Texans, but he could face competition for the starting spot from Ryan Mallett.

A pair of former backups with the New England Patriots, where Texans head coach O’Brien was in charge of the quarterbacks, Hoyer spent three years behind Tom Brady before getting a chance to start with the Cleveland Browns.

He was one of the top free agents on the market and heavily pursued by the New York Jets.

Mallett was scheduled to be a free agent but after making two starts for the Texans in 2014 before a season-ending pectoral injury, he will roll the dice in a competition with Hoyer.

Last year’s starter, Ryan Fitzpatrick, becomes the odd man out. He could draw interest from the Jets, who are looking for competition for Geno Smith. Fitzpatrick had his best statistical seasons with the Buffalo Bills when Chan Gailey — now offensive coordinator of the Jets — was running the offense.