HOUSTON — The Houston Texans won't say which players they plan to select in Monday's NFL expansion draft. They are going to bypass at least one group, however.
"Any player over 30, we've eliminated from our thinking," general manager Charley Casserly said Wednesday. "We are assuming contracts in the draft, so that's where age comes in.
"You look at players you think can play out their contracts and if they can, we put them on a list to take."
That would eliminate 43 of the 155 players in the pool of players unprotected by the existing 31 NFL teams.
The Texans also expect to go for quality over quantity — Casserly said they probably will draft 15-to-25 players instead of the 30-to-42 they're allowed to take.
Under expansion rules, the Texans must take at least 30 players from the pool, or a smaller group if the salaries of the players it takes add up to 38 percent of the league's salary cap of nearly $72 million — about $27.3 million.
But the age limit seems arbitrary — restricted to players who are 30 or over on Monday, when the draft takes place. Jacksonville offensive tackle Tony Boselli, who could be the Texans' first pick, will be two months' short of the mark — he turns 30 on April 17.
Neither Casserly nor coach Dom Capers would discuss specific players Wednesday, although there is really little intrigue with one team drafting. Many of the existing teams hope Houston accepts the large salaries they're trying to dump.
"We won't comment on players we'll take or not take, but it's part of the equation to know what type of player he is when healthy," Capers said when asked about Boselli, who missed almost all of this season with a shoulder injury. "He's had a physical and we'll put that together with his ability and what he can offer the Texans not only on the field but off the field."
But Capers added that the team was looking for leadership on the field and would like to make the first pick an example of hard work and team play. Boselli, an All-Pro in three of his seven NFL seasons, fits that category
Quarterbacks Jeff Blake of New Orleans and Chris Chandler of Atlanta didn't make the 30-year-old cut, nor did New York Giants linebacker Jesse Armstead, who has been in five straight Pro Bowls.
But the Texans could be interested in New York Jets cornerback Aaron Glenn, a former Texas A&M player who turns 30 in July.
The Texans expect to reach the salary-cap quota that allows them to take fewer players in the expansion draft and then sign other free agents to help fill their roster.
"We came up with the decision to go with 38 percent and not take 30-to-35 players," Casserly said. "We'll take 15-to-25 players and it could easily be under 20 players.
"We will take players that can be starters. When you go through free agency, you have to bid for a player and still don't know if you will get him.
"If we get them in expansion, it's like a bird in hand."
A study of this year's free agent market helped persuade the Texans to place more emphasis on the expansion draft.
"You have to combine the expansion draft with free agency, and free agency is very thin this year," Casserly said. "You have only so many big-money slots, so most of our big-money slots will come in the expansion draft."
After the expansion draft, the Texans' next chance at signing players will come in the April 20-21 collegiate draft, where there is a strong possibility they'll make Fresno State quarterback David Carr the team's first pick.
In addition to Chandler and Blake, quarterbacks in the expansion pool include Buffalo's Rob Johnson and Detroit's Charlie Batch, although Casserly didn't seem enthusiastic about either when he was asked about them.
If the Texans draft Carr, any veteran would be expected to step aside when he is deemed ready to play.