Martin cut as overhaul continues
Departures of starting center, Duke Johnson clear $10M in cap space
Cost-cutting measures taken by the Texans on Friday created nearly $10 million in salary cap space.
As the Texans continue to overhaul their roster while dealing with a tight salary-cap situation and the trade request of disgruntled Pro Bowl quarterback Deshaun Watson, they terminated starting center Nick Martin’s three-year, $33 million contract along with backup running back Duke Johnson’s nonguaranteed $4.65 million 2021 salary.
The Texans now have roughly $13.9 million in cap space available under a projected salary cap of $182 million after leading the NFL with $244 million in cash spending last year, according to NFL Players Association documents. The contracts for quarterback Deshaun Watson (four years, $156 million), offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil (three years, $66 million) and linebacker Zach Cunningham (four years, $58 million) represented major expenditures in one calendar year.
Even though the Texans shed the final year of defensive end J.J. Watt’s $100 million contract, netting them $17.5 million in cap savings, the AFC South franchise still had a lot of work to do on its financial situation.
There were financial and football elements involved with both moves.
A former second-round draft pick from Notre Dame and the younger brother of Dallas Cowboys All-Pro guard Zach Martin, Martin was due a $7.25 million base salary and had an $8.75 million salary-cap figure under a deal signed in 2019 that included $18.35 million guaranteed. The Texans saved $6.25 million
against the NFL salary cap by cutting Martin.
Martin, 27, started 62 career games for the Texans since missing his entire rookie season with an ankle injury that required surgery.
Although Martin started every game for the past three seasons, he didn’t grade out highly last season with a 56.1 overall Pro Football Focus grade, and he had a botched shotgun snap that cost the Texans a potential victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
The Texans could potentially shift starting right offensive guard Zach Fulton to the center position.
Fulton has played center previously for the Kansas City Chiefs.
The veteran blocker is due a $2 million base salary next season and has a $3.75 million salary-cap figure. Fulton is due a $1 million roster bonus on the third day of the league year, which would bring the Texans to a decision on his status.
By cutting Johnson, the Texans opened up $5 million against the salary cap. He was due a $500,00 workout bonus and pergame active roster bonuses worth up to $400,000.
Johnson, acquired two seasons ago in a trade from the Cleveland Browns for a third-round draft pick, rushed for 235 yards on 77 carries for a 3.1 average per run last season. He caught a career-low 28 passes for 249 yards and one touchdown and didn’t look nearly as explosive as he had in previous seasons.
In 2019, when the Texans won the AFC South division title, Johnson rushed for 410 yards and two touchdowns and caught 44 passes for 410 yards and three touchdowns.
Although veteran running back David Johnson endured an up-and-down season and dealt with the unpopularity of being the player acquired by the Texans in the controversial DeAndre Hopkins trade, a second season with the Texans is a legitimate scenario.
There is mutual interest in having Johnson return, according to league sources not authorized to speak publicly.
The Texans would like to lower Johnson’s $8.512 million salary-cap figure. Johnson is due a $7.95 million base salary with $2.1 million of that guaranteed. If the contract can be adjusted favorably, Johnson could return.
Under the current terms of his deal, the Texans can save $6.9 million against the salary cap by cutting the versatile 29-year-old former Arizona Cardinals All-Pro running back.
Playing under a threeyear, $39 million contract, Johnson picked up his game at the end of the season.
After missing one game on the COVID-19 reserve list as a close contact and three more games on injured reserve with a concussion after absorbing a huge hit from Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Myles Jack, Johnson consulted with a mental health coach to upgrade his approach to the game.
“I definitely think my production picked up, got a lot better,” Johnson said at the end of a 4-12 season. “I think the biggest thing was I talked to a mental health coach, and he really just helped me focus on the play at hand. Don’t think too much in the past, one play at a time, what’s important now, and really just focusing on what’s in front of me because there’s a lot of distractions with this offseason, with the virus, with everything going on with this organization.
“I think that was the biggest thing that I needed to do was just sit down, especially after the concussion, after a tough and a weird injury, and I think just talking to him really helped me out.”
Johnson rushed for 691 yards and six touchdowns for the season and 33 receptions for 314 yards and two touchdowns. He finished with at least 1,000 yards for scrimmage for the fourth time in his career.
“Yeah, definitely want to stay here,” Johnson said. “Definitely want to stay here, help out the team as much as I can next year, do everything I can.”