Waiting to step in are Antoine Caldwell at right guard and Rashad Butler at right tackle. Caldwell, a third-round draft pick in 2009, has started 13 games at right guard in three seasons. Butler, who has been with the Texans since 2007, started four games for suspended left tackle Duane Brown in 2010.

“I think they’ve both played tremendous when they get in, and I think that they’re ready for the challenge,” Myers said on Saturday. “I’m anxious to see how it’s going to pan out. I’ve got the utmost faith and confidence in ‘em.”

Myers thinks Caldwell and Butler could make a smooth transition into the starting lineup, although, as  he pointed out, “you’ll never know until it gets down into the season time, when they’re playing week in and week out.” How quickly they establish chemistry with the rest of the line will be critical — Brisiel started 47 games with the Texans, Winston 87.

“Obviously, they’ve got big shoes to fill, and I think Antoine and Rashad know that,” Myers said. “They have plenty of playing experience, so it’s going to be something they’re un-familiar to. They’re very familiar with the system and they’re very familiar with the offense and the guys around them. So it’s going to be kind of an easy stepping-stone.

“I don’t think it’s [like] a situation when we have someone brand new coming in here. It’s going to be a lot easier for them to get the transition going to be the starters week in and week out than it would be to have a free agent coming in here or a rookie coming in here and learning everything.”

The move is not yet official as it has not been announced by the Texans. Schefter reports that Myers’ deal will be good for four years and $25 million with $14 million fully guaranteed.

The Texans lost starting right guard Mike Brisiel to the Oakland Raiders on Friday evening and released starting right tackle Eric Winston before free agency began on Tuesday, so re-signing Myers would be a huge move for maintaining continuity on one of the league’s best offensive lines.

Myers has started 64 consecutive games for the Texans since being acquired from Denver for a sixth-round pick in 2008. He makes all of the calls at the line of scrimmage in the Texans’ zone blocking scheme and in 2011 became the first lineman in team history to make the Pro Bowl.

UPDATE: Here’s Myers on Twitter (@CMyers55) on Friday evening: “Let me first say thank you to all of the dedicated #Texansfans out there. I am extremely happy to stay here in Houston and be a Texan! Can’t wai to get back down to work and build on last seasons success! Thank you all again!!! #TexansNation”

Manning, of course, was released by the Indianapolis Colts last week, making him free to sign with any team. The primary reason the Texans will not be that team is because they already have Matt Schaub, who is fully expected to be healthy in 2012 coming off a season-ending Lisfranc injury.

“Number one, we’ve got a quarterback that we think is sound,” McNair said. “We think his foot’s going to be fine. He’s got a great arm and he can take us to a championship, and so we have other issues that we have to deal with. And of course, the teams that are looking at Peyton, who is just a terrific – been a terrific – quarterback, as he says, he’s 80 (to) 85 percent healed or healthy, but you don’t know if he’ll get to 100 percent. So, there’s a lot of risk that they’re gonna be taking because they can’t work him out. But I hope he’s healthy, and I hope he plays; he’s a great asset to the league. But we’re in good shape in that regard, and we’re more concerned about keeping our core players, our free agents, and trying to re-sign them as opposed to bringing in someone else.”

McNair was asked if he hopes Manning does not end up with the division rival Tennessee Titans, one of four teams the four-time MVP reportedly will meet with before making a decision.

“Well, it really doesn’t matter,” McNair said, smiling. “We beat him when he was healthy, and we’ll do it again. It’s up to us. It’s up to us. We play a lot of good quarterbacks. We play against a lot of good ones.”

Vandermeer’s first question for McNair was about Texans right tackle Eric Winston, who announced via Twitter on Monday that he surprisingly had been released on the eve of free agency.

“I was talking to [general manager] Rick Smith last night, and I just commented to him, I said, ‘You know, Rick, this is a tough part of the business,’” McNair said. “He said, ‘Boy, it really is.’ And it is. When you’ve got someone that’s been a teammate that’s been out there and gone through training camp and gone through tough times and worked with you back-to-back in trying to build a team, and then all of a sudden just due to circumstances of really, the salary cap, you have to make that kind of a decision, and it’s very difficult to do.”

Winston was a third-round draft pick of the Texans’ in 2006 out of the University of Miami (Fla.). After moving into the starting lineup midway through his rookie season, he started 87 consecutive games.

Transactions are not official until announced by the Texans, but Mark Berman of FOX 26 is one of several reporting that Vickers  was released on Monday.

Vickers, 28, signed with the Texans last offseason as a free agent from the Cleveland Browns. He played in 14 games with one start in 2011, helping Arian Foster and Ben Tate combine for 2,166 rushing yards. If he is indeed released, it would leave converted tight end James Casey as the lone fullback on the Texans’ roster.

It was reported Monday that the Texans parted ways with right tackle Eric Winston and quarterback Matt Leinart.

Starting right tackle Eric Winston announced that he would be released via Twitter on Monday evening. Leinart also tweeted comments indicative of his release.

“I appreciate and thank Mr McNair and the Texans organization for giving me the opportunity to play,” Leinart said. “I will miss the Texans fans and most importantly my teammates. I have no time to get down, focus is on getting healthy and being ready to go again!”

Leinart, 28, joined the Texans as a backup in 2010. He got a long-awaited chance to play in 2011 after Matt Schaub broke his foot in Week 10 at Tampa Bay, but he lasted less than two quarters before suffering a broken collarbone in Week 12 at Jacksonville. Rookie fifth-round draft pick T.J. Yates stepped in for Leinart and led the Texans to their first AFC South title and first playoff victory in franchise history.

Twitter.com/NickScurfield

Winston, a third-round draft pick in 2006, has started 87 consecutive games for the Texans. He was one vote shy of earning second-team All-Pro honors in 2011.

After several messages from Winston’s Twitter account @ericwinston said he had been released on Monday afternoon, ESPN.com, the Houston Chronicle and FOX 26 Sports reported that they had confirmed the news with Winston.

Free agency begins Tuesday at 3 p.m. CT. The Texans’ backup offensive tackles in 2011 were Rashad Butler, who spent most of the season on injured reserve, and Derek Newton, who showed promise as a rookie seventh-round pick out of Arkansas State.

After the Texans beat the Bengals and clinched the division title on Sunday afternoon, the team opened the Go Texan Store so fans could buy playoff merchandise. As word spread, fans began to flock to the Bud Plaza to celebrate the Texans’ first-ever playoff berth. Team officials set up an impromptu barricade and raised platform with a few speakers in front of the Texans’ offices in case players would be able to greet the crowd after they returned.

The players did, and then some. Wide receiver Andre Johnson, outside linebacker Connor Barwin, defensive end J.J. Watt and running back Ben Tate all came out as soon as the team got back to the stadium. Johnson, who has been with the Texans since 2003 – longer than any other player – was handed the mic to kick things off.

“We’ve been waiting on this for a long time,” Johnson said, drawing a massive cheer from the crowd amid chants of ‘An-dre, An-dre’. “It’s been nine seasons. It’s been nine long seasons since I’ve been here, and we’ve been through it all. We’ve been through the good times, the bad times. It’s all been tough, but it’s made us stronger. And what (more) perfect season than right now.

“I’ve said it before – I know everybody’s excited about the playoffs. Yeah, we clinched a playoff spot, but it’s a lot bigger than just the playoffs. So we want you guys to enjoy this, have fun tonight, but we’re not finished. We’re trying to win the Super Bowl.”

Quarterback T.J. Yates, linebacker DeMeco Ryans, nose tackle Shaun Cody, defensive end Antonio Smith, Barwin, linebacker Mario Williams, tight end Owen Daniels and right tackle Eric Winston all followed Johnson in addressing the fans.

The crowd was so loud and eager to erupt in cheers that Cody had to ask them to quiet down when Williams spoke. Parts of several players’ speeches weren’t audible despite their best efforts to be heard.

Among the homemade signs in the crowd were ones that read BETTER YATES THAN NEVER, THANK U JESUS!!!!, BULLS ON PARADE and WE BELIEVE.

“Thank you so much for being out here,” Ryans said. “We just want to let you all know that this is just the beginning. This is the first goal. This is just the beginning. This is where we start, but this is not the finish. This is just the beginning of what we trying to accomplish this year.”

Texans

Out
WR Andre Johnson (Hamstring/DNP), FS Danieal Manning (Ankle/DNP)

Doubtful
None

Questionable
CB Sherrick McManis (Groin/Limited), NT Earl Mitchell (Ankle/Limited), DE Antonio Smith (Shoulder/Limited), T Eric Winston (Back/Limited)

Probable
LB Mister Alexander (Shoulder/Full), CB Jason Allen (Knee/Full), G Thomas Austin (Knee/Full), LB Connor Barwin (Achilles/Full), LB Bryan Braman (Thigh/Full), G Mike Brisiel (Back/Full), T Duane Brown (Shoulder/Full), G Antoine Caldwell (Ankle/Full), FB James Casey (Pectoral/Full), NT Shaun Cody (Back/Full), LB Brian Cushing (Knee/Hamstring/Full), LB Tim Dobbins (Hip/Full), CB Johnathan Joseph (Hamstring/Abdomen/Full), LB Jesse Nading (Shoulder/Full), G Wade Smith (Ankle/Full), RB Ben Tate (Foot/Ankle/Full), WR Kevin Walter (Knee/Ankle/Full)

Buccaneers

Out
None

Doubtful
DT Frank Okam (Calf/DNP)

Questionable
LB Dekoda Watson (Groin/DNP)

Probable
QB Josh Freeman (R. Thumb/Full), S Tanard Jackson (Hamstring/Full), WR Mike Williams (Thigh/Full), G Jeremy Zuttah (Knee/Full)

Here’s a list, as picked by some of the more notable outlets:

C Chris Myers (John Clayton, Pete Prisco, Pro Football Focus)
RT Eric Winston (John Clayton, Peter King, Pro Football Focus)
ILB Brian Cushing (John Clayton, Pete Prisco)
CB Johnathan Joseph (Peter King)

Clayton, a senior writer for ESPN.com, picked Texans defensive end J.J. Watt as his midway defensive rookie of the year. He tabbed Texans running back Ben Tate as his most underrated player.

Clayton also listed Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips as his assistant coach of the year. That sentiment was echoed by Gregg Rosenthal of NBC Sports and ProFootballTalk, who named Phillips his Coordinator of the Year. Rosenthal also gave mention to Cushing (ranking him second in the Reborn Player category), the Texans’ defense (fourth in Most Underrated Group) and Watt (fourth in Defensive Rookie of the Year).