In eight days, NFL free agency begins.
But before that, the "legal tampering" period starts on Monday, so teams and soon-to-be unrestricted free agents can talk and begin agreeing to terms. Those two-plus days will see a flurry of activity around the league, and at 3 p.m. CT on Wednesday, March 18, the discussed deals can become official.
At times in the past, Houston has been active in the early part of free agency. In the 2016 offseason, the Texans made a splash by signing quarterback Brock Osweiler, running back Lamar Miller, and offensive linemen Jeff Allen and Tony Bergstrom on the first day of free agency.
More recently, the club has waited a few days to add help. In 2019, Houston picked up key contributors like cornerback Bradley Roby, safety Tashaun Gipson and tight end Darren Fells well into the free agency period. That trio started a combined 38 games last fall.
The Texans currently have 18 players from the 2019 roster who will be free agents. The club released cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III and safety Mike Adams retired.
