Andre Johnson is about to enter his 13th season in the NFL and doesn’t want it to be with the Houston Texans. Johnson and the Texans have had a rocky relationship for the last few years and it appears it’s finally at an end. The Texans have obliged Johnson’s request and given the receiver permission to seek a trade.
“It’s business,” Johnson was quoted in the Houston Chronicle. “I understand that side of it. I’m not angry about it. I knew at some point in time, this day would come. If we were living in a perfect world, you know I’d want to finish my career here, but, unfortunately, that’s not what’s going to happen. You just have to move forward.”
Johnson is coming off his worst season as a pro, in which he started more than 13 games and caught 85 passes for 936 yards and three touchdowns. With the emergence of DeAndre Hopkins (127 catches, 1,210 yards and six touchdowns in 2014), Johnson’s role was diminishing and if that’s the case, he has no desire to suit up for Houston again.
“I don’t know how you tell a guy who catches 85 balls that he’ll only probably catch 40,” Johnson said. “I feel like the role they were trying to put me in I’d be held back from maximizing my talents. I feel like that was the best thing for both sides. Why sit there and be miserable when I can go somewhere else and be able to show my talents?”
Johnson has a base salary of $10.5 million due in 2015 and a cap number of $16.1 million so any team willing to trade for him will need that kind of room. There’s also the matter of what the Texans can get for the 33-year-old wide receiver and it looks like a third round pick would likely land Johnson on your team.
Beasley gets four-year deal from Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys have re-signed a free agent receiver, just not the one that would make the most news. Cole Beasley, who caught 37 passes for 420 yards and four touchdowns, got a four-year, $14 million contract Tuesday to continue his duties as the Cowboys’ slot receiver.
Beasley is a three-year pro and was a restricted free agent. He caught 79.4 percent of the third down passes thrown to him, the second-best percentage in the league. Beasley was originally signed as an undrafted free agent out of Southern Methodist. He averaged 11.4 yards per catch last season.
That other Cowboys free agent receiver Tweeted out a congratulations to Beasley Tuesday.
Congrats to my boy @Bease11 #beast #truth
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) March 3, 2015
Eagles cut Cary Williams
It wasn’t enough that they’re losing Bradley Fletcher and Nate Allen to free agency, the Philadelphia Eagles are evidently planning a complete overhaul of their secondary and proved it by releasing Cary Williams Tuesday. Williams’ release saves the Eagles $6.5 million in cap space, but still costs them $1.67 million in dead money.
Williams was a solid starter for Philly, recording 60 tackles, two interceptions and 10 pass defenses in 2014. He started 32 games over the last two seasons, including the playoffs since joining the team as a free agent from the Baltimore Ravens in 2013.
Malcolm Jenkins is the only starting defensive back the Eagles still have under contract, so it leaves little doubt for what they’ll be looking at in free agency and the draft unless they feel Brandon Boykin is ready to start at corner in his fourth season. Boykin has been a solid nickel since he was drafted in the fourth round out of Georgia in 2012.
Panthers re-sign Colin Cole
The Carolina Panthers gave defensive tackle Colin Cole a chance when they signed him in 2013 after two years out of football. Tuesday it payed off for both parties as Cole re-signed with the Panthers. Cole signed a $1.05 million contract to remain with the team.
“What I was told was everybody loved having me around, that they feel I’m a core player, a key contributor,” Cole said. “They said they wanted to bring me back because I add great depth and experience.”
Cole had 28 tackles and one fumble recovery last season.
49ers begin Jarryd Hayne experiment
Jarryd Hayne is one of the best rugby players in the world and, after the San Francisco 49ers signed him to a futures/reserve contract, the 27-year-old will now try to make it in professional American football.
The 49ers weren’t the only team to come after Hayne. The Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions also wanted to sign the rugby star, but the 49ers offered more money – $100,000 guaranteed – and that turned out to do the trick. Hayne publicly announced his plans to try to make it in the NFL back in October. Hayne even had his own Pro Day where he was measured 6-foot-2, 226 pounds and ran a 4.53 40-yard dash.
