Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

The Houston Texans may be shying away from free agents who protested during the national anthem, the Houston Chronicle's Jerome Solomon reported Saturday.

"There is no directive within the organization, but it is considered to be understood that as desperate as the Texans are to bring in talent, the pool of potential signees and draftees will not include anyone who has participated in protests or are likely to," Solomon wrote after speaking to two NFL agents about the issue.

Free-agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick filed a grievance in October alleging the NFL and team owners have colluded to keep him out of the league as a result of his role in the protest movement.

USA Today's Mike Jones reported in November that Texas owner Bob McNair was among three team owners who were on the deposition list as part of the grievance.

McNair came under fire last October when he said the league and owners "can't have the inmates running the prison," referencing the ongoing anthem protests, per ESPN's Seth Wickersham and Don Van Natta Jr.

McNair subsequently apologized and said in a statement he "never meant to offend anyone" and "was not referring to our players."

Former Texans offensive tackle Duane Brown, who Houston traded to the Seattle Seahawks in the middle of the 2017 season, told Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio he felt abandoned by the team after he knelt during the anthem.

"I protested [during the national anthem] last year, and there was no backing of my character as a man as a leader or a player," Brown said. "There was nothing said by [McNair] or the organization to back me at all. They just kind of sent me to the wolves."