HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 28: Kendrick Lewis #21 and J.J. Watt #99 of the Houston Texans celebrates his sack against Blake Bortles #5 of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth quarter in a NFL game on December 28, 2014 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. It was Watt's 20th sack for the season.(Photo by Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images)

Houston (CBS Houston) – The offseason is here for the Texans. Veterans and young players. Free agents and those under contracts. MVP candidates and part-time performers alike. It’s the offseason and the questions are numerous.

Kareem Jackson, Brooks Reed, Kendrick Lewis, and Ryan Mallett are just a few of the names who are free agents. Chris Myers and Andre Johnson are long-time leaders on the team who could find themselves facing the ever worrisome “business” side of football.

The “business” of course is when the amount of money paid to a player doesn’t equal the on-field production. Every team faces those decisions about the “business” aspect of football, and every player knows about them.

Especially veterans like Myers.

“You understand the business end of things, but I would definitely love to be here my whole career,” said the former two-time Pro Bowl center.

“I call Houston home,” he went on to say. “I got engaged, married, and on my way to four kids here now so Houston is our home.”

Myers is scheduled to make $8 million according to the website spotrac.com. The Texans would save $6 million by parting ways with Myers but they would be without a starting center. He has also started 128 games straight.

Ben Jones, who played center in college at Georgia, could replace Myers if the team moved on.

Teammates departing isn’t something J.J. Watt likes to think about.

“I’m not ready to talk about that yet,” Watt said when asked about how he would remember Andre Johnson if he had played his last game as a member of the Texans. “I don’t know how all that’ll shake out.”

Johnson is set to make over $16 million next year. The Texans would save roughly $8 million if Johnson was cut. Multiple times Johnson has made his intentions to stay with this team clear.

Watt’s desire to keep teammates isn’t a concern for him as he stated “I don’t have any control over that” when asked if he felt the same way as Kendrick Lewis about keeping the defense together. Watt did go on to praise Lewis later saying “he’s a lot of fun to be around” and “a lot of fun to play with.”

Whether he could do anything about it or not, Lewis made his stance clear.

“I wish we could keep all of us man,” said Lewis who just finished his first year with the organization. “We had a phenomenal year as far as a defense and a team.”

Lewis went on to say it was hard to predict how things will shake out but he wanted to keep this group whole. He said he loved playing with Watt and wished he could keep playing with him.

Lewis also mentioned his desire to line up for defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel again.

“Hopefully everything works out in my favor as far as playing with him again.”

Kareem Jackson wished members of the media well as they left today stating he might not see them again. He is entering free agency. Last year he made over $4 million but could be due a raise thanks to his versatility, he has played inside and outside at cornerback for the Texans, and his age, Jackson turns 27 in April.

As mentioned above Brooks Reed is a free agent as well. Ryan Mallett and Case Keenum each started for the Texans this season but each enter this offseason with no contract. Ryan Pickett mentioned after the season finale against the Jaguars he would play for the Texans if he entertained playing another season.

It is just day one of the offseason for the Texans. All the players haven’t even finished cleaning out their lockers. Yesterday an unfortunate end to the teams season, but without the help of other teams taking care of their business, the Texans now have to start on their offseason business. Both the literal sense and the other “business.”

Follow Stoots on Twitter – @Cody_Stoots

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