Johnson reaches deal on final year
Running back David Johnson reached a financial compromise with the Texans on Tuesday, restructuring the final year of his original three-year, $39 million contract.
Johnson’s contract now has a maximum value of $6 million in 2021, including incentives and roster bonuses, with $4.25 million of the deal guaranteed at signing, according to league sources not authorized to speak publicly.
The Texans have been working on Johnson’s contract since last week.
Instead of paying Johnson his originally scheduled $7.95 million base salary in 2021, which included $2.1 million in guaranteed money, the Texans saved at least $1.95 million in total compensation and lowered his initial $8.512 million salary-cap figure. If the Texans had cut Johnson, they would have saved $6.412 million against the salary cap with $2.1 million in dead money.
Johnson, who came to the Texans in the DeAndre Hopkins trade last year, 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.
Johnson started a dozen games, missing one on the COVID-19 reserve list as a close contact and another three games on injured reserve due to a concussion suffered against Jacksonville.
Johnson averaged 4.7 yards per carry last season for the NFL’s 31st-ranked rushing offense.
Toward the end of last season, Johnson increased his production with a season-high 128 rushing yards and a score on 12 carries in a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals and 84 yards on 14 carries in a season-ending loss to the Tennessee Titans.
The Texans, who previously cut defensive end J.J. Watt, center Nick Martin, running back Duke Johnson, defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes, offensive guard Senio Kelemete, and linebacker Peter Kalambayi, released two players on Tuesday: cornerbacks Brandon Williams and Mark Fields II.