Texans hoping to re-sign Ryan Mallett

Addressing the quarterback position is among the Houston Texans' most pressing offseason tasks, and head coach Bill O'Brien believes that it can be achieved with a player already on his roster.

Speaking at the NFL Scouting Combine on Thursday, O'Brien explained that re-signing impending free agent Ryan Mallett will be a priority for the team in the coming weeks.

"If you look at our offense, we'd like to bolster the quarterback position, and one way to do that is by bringing back Ryan," O’Brien said, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. "We'd like to have him back in Houston."

Having started just two games with the Texans - the only two starts of his four-year NFL career - Mallett certainly lacks experience at the pro level. However, what O'Brien saw from the 26-year-old throughout the 2014 season has him confident in his ability going forward.

"He’s smart, and he’s a hard worker, and he understands our system," he said. "I like the fact that when he wasn’t playing he was really into the game. He listened to every play call on an earpiece. There are a lot of things that make me believe he can be a starter in this league."

While the Texans could also look outside the organization to address the quarterback position, re-signing Mallett and giving him the opportunity to compete appears to be part of the plan either way. 

Mallett completed 41-of-75 pass attempts for 400 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in 2014.