Trade receives negative reviews from ex-teammates, others in NFL
Veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins left the Texans on a surprising fly pattern out of town Monday when he was traded to the Arizona Cardinals for former All-Pro running back David Johnson, according to NFL sources not authorized to speak publicly.
In exchange for Hopkins and a 2021 fourth-round draft pick, the Texans get Johnson, a 2020 second-round selection and a 2021 fourth-round pick.
The blockbuster move shocked, disappointed and frustrated several of Hopkins’ former Texans teammates privately and publicly on social media. The three-time first-team All-Pro was one of the most successful players in franchise history and one of the most popular players in the locker room. The trade was widely panned around the league as a one-sided move, with the Texans criticized for not receiving appropriate value in return for the former first-round draft
pick from Clemson.
That became even more glaring Monday night when the compensation was revealed in the Minnesota Vikings' trade of wide receiver Stefon Diggs, a far less accomplished player two years younger than Hopkins, to the Buffalo Bills. Minnesota sent Diggs and a 2020 seventh-round pick to Buffalo for first-, fourth-, fifth- and sixthround selections.
The Texans faced similar criticism when they traded Pro Bowl outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney to the Seattle Seahawks and were also ripped when they sent two first-round draft picks to the Miami Dolphins for left offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil. Tunsil was named to his first Pro Bowl last season.
By Monday night, the Texans pivoted from the trade. They struck a three-year, $27 million contract with former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Randall Cobb that includes $18.75 million in guaranteed money, according to league sources not authorized to speak publicly. Cobb, 29, caught 55 passes for 828 yards and three touchdowns last season for the Cowboys.
Regardless, Hopkins is moving on. He posted a video of the rapper Future saying “Sensational” to describe his mood. And the South Carolina native said goodbye to Texans fans on social media with this: “The Texans organization served me well, the city of Houston served me well and my teammates served me well. The city of Houston will forever be loved. Now it’s time to bring a championship to AZ!! HOP OUT!!!”
Hopkins was very unhappy with his current contract and, according to league sources, wanted a raise from the five-year, $81 million contract he signed in 2017 that included $49 million guaranteed. Hopkins is due a $12.5 million base salary this year, $13.5 million in 2021 and $13.915 million in 2022.
Hopkins’ departure by trade costs the Texans only a $3 million salary-cap charge. They picked up all of Johnson’s three-year, $39 million contract that includes a $10.2 million base salary in 2020 and $7.95 million in 2021
The conflict between Hopkins and the Texans ran much deeper than a financial divide, though. There has been growing friction between Hopkins and Texans coach and general manager Bill O’Brien for years, according to multiple team and league sources.
Hopkins was extremely durable as far as being able to play on Sundays, playing through several lingering injuries, including to his knee, foot, toe and ribs, and his participation in practice was very limited during the 2019 season. The practice participation became a point of contention between the team and Hopkins, according to sources.
Hopkins’ skills and productivity aren’t in question. He caught 104 passes for 1,165 yards and seven touchdowns last season.
Hopkins has 632 career receptions, tying him with Antonio Brown for the second most by an NFL player in their first seven NFL seasons.
“He’s a great player,” O’Brien said when asked about Hopkins last season. “He’s made plays for a long time. He’s a go-to guy. Everybody knows we go to him a lot.”
Only Marvin Harrison and Torry Holt reached Hopkins’ milestone of at least 600 catches, 8,500 yards and 50 touchdown catches through their first seven NFL seasons.
“Oh, you know, your legacy’s all you’re gonna be remembered by,” Hopkins said last season. “I think (what) I want to be remembered by is working hard. That’s it. And I’m pretty sure, my teammates, that’s what they’ll say about me. You know, Hop is competitive.”
Now Hopkins will compete for the Cardinals in the NFC West as the primary target for secondyear quarterback Kyler Murray.
Johnson, 28, is a big, fast former third-round draft pick from Northern Iowa. He became expendable when the Cardinals placed the transition tag on running back Kenyan Drake.
Johnson has outstanding allaround skills. The primary concern with him is his health.
He had a fractured wrist in 2017, past knee problems, and back and ankle injuries last season.
Johnson is coming off his worst season statistically, having totaled 715 all-purpose yards.
He rushed for 345 yards and two touchdowns last season and caught 36 passes for 370 yards and four touchdowns. In 2018, he rushed for 940 yards and seven touchdowns and caught 50 passes for 446 yards and three touchdowns.
His best season was in 2016, when he rushed for a career-high 1,239 yards and 16 touchdowns and caught 80 passes for 879 yards and four scores.
For his career, Johnson has rushed for 3,128 yards and 33 touchdowns and has 208 catches for 2,219 yards and 15 touchdowns.
The Texans attempted to resign running back Carlos Hyde, but sources say he declined a twoyear contract offer worth roughly $10 million after rushing for a career-high 1,077 yards last season. Hyde was acquired via a trade last season with the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for offensive lineman Martinas Rankin.
Now Hyde heads to free agency, and the Texans have acquired a replacement to work in tandem with third-down back Duke Johnson.
“I am excited for the road ahead and what the future holds, but will never forget my past,” Johnson wrote on social media.
In other free agency news, sources said the Texans struck a three-year contract worth up to $20.5 million with former Cleveland Browns safety Eric Murray.
Murray is expected to operate in a hybrid safety-nickel role as the replacement for free agent Jahleel Addae.
Murray was traded to the Browns last year from the Chiefs for defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah. He had 24 tackles and one sack in nine games and four starts for Cleveland.
The Texans also re-signed backup quarterback A.J. McCarron. McCarron played last season under a one-year, $3 million contract.
“Let’s Go!” McCarron wrote on Instagram. “Happy to be back with the squad!”
A former Cincinnati Bengals fifth-round draft pick from Alabama, McCarron, 29, passed for 225 yards with one interception in his one start last season against the Tennessee Titans.