Connor Barwin sounds like a man looking forward to testing the open market.
The Houston Texans linebacker joined Adam Schein and Rich Gannon on SiriusXM Radio on Monday, when he discussed his upcoming tour through free agency.
If he doesn't return to Houston, Barwin made it clear he'd like to play for a winning team with an established quarterback. He said he's willing to take less money to play for a competitor.
When asked specifically about joining the New England Patriots, Barwin replied, "That would be nice." He also was asked about the Indianapolis Colts, the Texans' top rival in the AFC South.
"Yeah, they would seem to have a lot of interest," Barwin said. "So we'll see. That would be very interesting. ... There's a lot of factors that would have to come into play to make me do it, but I think that it would be hard to go there and play. But I'm sure they could change my mind with a couple of different things."
Barwin is coming off a down season that's clouded his free-agent value. That said, a team will take its chances on a 26-year-old pass rusher with a pedigree.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus.
