The defensive line is the strength of the entire Houston Texans defense, but that doesn’t mean upgrades can’t be made via free agency

Sure the Houston Texans defensive line is considered one of the strengths of their defense, but in all honesty that can all be attributed to defensive end J.J. Watt and his incredible play on every down. Offenses have to plan around Watt to execute, and he still has become the only NFL player to ever record 20 or more sacks in two separate seasons.

Outside of Watt, the three-man line featured fellow starters Vince Wilfork at nose tackle and Jared Crick at defensive end. Crick is set to become a free agent, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Houston bring him back.

Wilfork on the other hand has one more year remaining on his current deal, but there’s no guarantees he will make the final roster after going several games at a time where he seemed to not even be on the field. While some will say a nose tackle’s job is to clog the middle, Wilfork’s six solo tackles all season are still incredibly low and his salary demands more from him.

Whether or not the team moves on from Wilfork or is able to retain Crick, there will be several options available for the Texans to try and upgrade a position of strength. Here are six guys who are set to become available this offseason.