Late last week at the NFL scouting combine, a personnel man was working his relationships for a specific piece of information. With his team laying a foundation for draft and free-agent maneuvering, he had a pressing question: What are the Houston Texans planning at quarterback?

This has been one of the steadiest leaguewide queries since the Super Bowl, posed by a string of team executives, coaches and agents, each jockeying to get a grasp on a market hungry for offseason quarterback options. In their pursuit, a pattern has emerged, placing the Texans as one of the most pivotal dominos in the quarterbacks market this offseason. Thanks to a variety of factors, Houston is officially a preferred destination, be it for purposes of leverage or a genuine interest in putting a quarterback in an ideal situation to succeed.

Texans coach Bill O'Brien is looking for someone else to deliver DeAndre Hopkins the ball in 2016. (AP) More

It appears the Texans are happy to oblige that position, too. The team met with a litany of quarterbacks at the combine, including the five big names that have been on the draft radar for months: North Dakota State's Carson Wentz, Cal's Jared Goff, Memphis' Paxton Lynch, Michigan State's Connor Cook and Penn State's Christian Hackenberg. But it doesn't end there.

Brock Osweiler and Robert Griffin III are expected to get looks on the Texans' free-agent radar. Osweiler in particular might be a far bigger target than anyone anticipates. Even the New England Patriots' Jimmy Garoppolo could come into play with Tom Brady's recent contract extension (though any starting point in a conversation regarding Garoppolo is expected to be a first-round pick). Even Peyton Manning, should he continue his career, is a name that can't be ruled out of the Texans' equation.

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The multiple names and possibilities tied to Houston speaks to why so many are seeking a better grip on what the Texans are doing. The Broncos are trying to get Osweiler under a new deal and are weighing what the Texans would bid if Osweiler hits free agency. The Philadelphia Eagles, before signing Sam Bradford to a two-year deal, were wondering if Houston would make a play for him in the open market. Griffin is eyeing Houston as a potential long-term destination. And almost every agent with a quarterback who is draftable in the first three rounds is looking at the Texans as a possibility.

Any one of the aforementioned players could fit in some scenario. Indeed, the Texans could even pluck two options from a list of targets. Either Manning or Griffin could be signed as bridge quarterbacks, coming in under a one or two-year contract, with Houston also spending a draft pick on another player to groom. In that scenario, if a player like Griffin thrived again, the opportunity to work a new deal would be on the table.

Houston is seen by agents as a prime landing spot and a potential threat by other NFL teams who have quarterback plans of their own. Here's why:

• Opportunity: Of all the teams seeking quarterbacks, Houston's roster has the fewest impediments to a starting role. Anyone who is added this offseason as a priority free agent or draft pick will be done so with the design of having that player start soon. That's an attractive quality across the board for both the free agent and draft class at the position.

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