INDIANAPOLIS -- The Houston Texans approach March and the start of free agency with 19 players set to become unrestricted free agents.
Outside linebacker Connor Barwin and safety Glover Quin top the priority list, and it could prove difficult to retain both.
"He's not only a heck of a player for us. He's a leader in our locker room," Texans head coach Gary Kubiak said of Quin. "A class act. He played very well for us.
"Rick and I talked about it and as a staff, obviously, we want him to continue to be there for our football team. We have to go through the process. But he's very important to what we're doing.''
Barwin could be the more difficult of the two to re-sign, as a proven outside pass rusher promises to be a hot commodity on the free-agent market.
The Texans do have some depth, including Brooks Reed coming off an injury-plagued second season.
"He's very capable of being a stack player, playing inside in our 3-4," Kubiak said of Reed. "Yes, that could happen. But we'd liked him as a SAM, he's a heck of a SAM player. But you've always have to have some flexibility with one player or two players in various situations when you come across like what we did last year.
"Depending on what happens with our football team moving forward right now with Connor and some other things we're always looking for some flexibility.'
