According to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, the Texans turned down an invitation to be on the show this year. As a team coming off their first playoff appearance in history and a playoff win over the Bengals with designs on more this season, it is easy to see why the Texans would be an appealing choice for the program.

No one from the Texans has commented on the report. On Twitter, McClain called Gary Kubiak “about as private a coach as you’ll find” by way of explaining why the Texans passed on the opportunity.

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“He’s going to play everywhere,” Kubiak said. “He’s our starting fullback. He’s a starting (tight end) if we go to two tights. It’s still about versatility with James.”

In 45 games, including 11 starts, over the last three seasons, Casey has 32 receptions for 422 yards and one touchdown with one rushing attempt for 11 yards. Most of that production came last year when Casey’s playing time increased from 15 percent in 2009 and 2010 to over 30 percent in 2011.

The Texans lost Lawrence Vickers and Joel Dressens this offseason, another reason why the team will turn to Casey to see what he can do in the duel role of FB and TE.

“It was sad to see those guys leave,” said Casey. “I was really close to Joel. He taught me a lot when I came into the league, and I really looked up to him.

“You have to understand that it’s part of the business. I look at it as an opportunity because there are spots available at tight end and fullback. I don’t really know what my role will be right now, but I’m hoping to take another step forward and be a major contributor to this offense, whatever position it is.”

Quarterback John Beck has a new football home, as reports say the 30-year-old former Redskin is joining the Texans.

The free agent started three games for the Redskins last season, going 80-for-132 in pass attempts for 858 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions before he was replaced by Rex Grossman.

The Redskins used the No. 2 overall pick on quarterback Robert Griffin and added quarterback Kirk Cousins in the fourth round, prompting the club to release Beck.

Originally selected out of BYU in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins, the 30-year-old Beck has completed 140-of-239 pass attempts for 1,417 yards with three touchdowns and seven interceptions during his nine-game career.

Beck already has an understanding of Gary Kubiak’s offense and will compete with 2011 fifth round pick T.J. Yates for the No. 2 job behind Matt Schaub.

Jones caught 31 passes for 512 yards and two touchdowns while playing in nearly 75 percent of the Texans’ offensive snaps, falling short of matching his 2010 season that saw him catch a career-high 51 receptions for 562 yards. In the second playoff game in Texans’ history, Jones fumbled a punt that was recovered by the Baltimore Ravens at the Texans’ two-yard line. The Ravens would ultimately score a touchdown and the Texans’ season would end with a 20-13 loss.

As if his fate weren’t already sealed for Jones, the Texans selected wide receivers DeVier Posey and Keshawn Martin in the middle rounds of the 2012 NFL Draft.

Jones had two years and $7 million remaining, including a $3 million base salary in 2012, on his three-year, $10.5 million contract he signed last July. Jones’ release clears $2 million in cap space.

Picks: DE Whitney Mercilus, WR DeVier Posey, G Brandon Brooks, C Ben Jones, WR Keshawn Martin, DE Jared Crick, K Randy Bullock, T Nick Mondek.

Grade: C

Analysis: There’s nothing wrong with the Mercilus pick, but I keep coming back to the idea that if the Texans needed a pass rusher, why didn’t they just spend the money and keep Mario Williams? That would have freed the team to use its first-round pick on another need or do something more creative. Williams was expensive, but there are times in the building of a team that you spend big to get big results. The Texans are finally at the point of making a big run and they made a move that screamed of remaining middle of the pack. Posey is an intriguing athlete with return ability and Brooks and Jones could be starters in fairly short order if the team wants to push them.

Jason Ford, RB, Illinois

Jonathan Grimes, RB, William and Mary

Jerrell Jackson, WR, Missouri

Case Keenum, QB, Houston

Mario Lewis, WR, Grambling State

Shawn Loiseau, LB, Merrimack

Rennie Moore, DT, Clemson

Dwight Jones, WR, North Carolina

Houston went 10-6 last season and earned the franchise’s first playoff berth with its first AFC South title.

The new schedule, released Tuesday, includes Monday night games against Tim Tebow and the New York Jets (Oct. and Tom Brady and the Patriots (Dec. 10), along with a Thanksgiving game against Detroit.

Houston plays its third game at Denver on September 23, a game rich with subplots.

The Texans host Baltimore on Oct. 21 in a rematch of last year’s AFC divisional playoff, won by the Ravens 20-13. The Texans and Ravens played an overtime thriller at Reliant Stadium in December 2010, which Baltimore won 34-28.

Dobbins was a fifth round pick of the 2006 NFL Draft out of Iowa State by the Chargers.

In 93 career games, he has 210 tackles, two sacks and two interceptions with eight passes defensed.

He was with the Fins last August when he was released, and came to the Texans. Before that, he spent four seasons with San Diego. He was denied unrestricted free agency by the uncapped 2010 season, and was sent by San Diego to Miami.

In 15 games, Dobbins recorded 13 tackles, including nine on special teams. Dobbins had four tackles, including one for a loss with a pass defensed and a forced fumble in less than 60 snaps on defense. In two post-season games, Dobbins recorded three tackles.

Walter, 31, was scheduled to earn $3.5 million in base salary with a $4.5 million salary cap number in each of the three remaining seasons on his current contract. On March 16, Walter agreed to reduce his salary to $2 million, lowering his cap number for this season to $3 million.

The final two years on Walter’s contract (2013-14) were unchanged.

From 2007-10, Walter caught 229 passes for 2,931 yards and 19 touchdowns as the No. 2 receiver opposite Andre Johnson. Last season, Walter caught 39 passes for 474 yards and three touchdowns in 64 percent of the offensive snaps in the regular season — his lowest playing-time percentage since 2006 — with three receptions for 36 yards in two playoff games.