Texans: 5 players who could become victims of the salary cap
By Cory Kinnan
5. RB Duke Johnson
Could both running backs from the year before be cut by the Texans? It is certainly possible. Should both David and Duke Johnson see the axe of Caserio this offseason in order to clear more cap space, this would open the door for a rookie to land with the team in the 2021 NFL Draft, or a cheap veteran to walk in the door.
Dontrelle Hilliard has filled the Duke Johnson role once before for the Cleveland Browns when they were teammates, and they can likely do it again as he would be the front-runner to take over third down back responsibilities. Besides, three yards per carry and 28 catches out of the backfield is a pretty underwhelming statline for a pass catching specialist such as Johnson.
Set to make over $4.5 million this season, the Texans could receive a cap relief of $5.1 million if they were to part with Johnson, with no dead money attached to them at all. With the limited role and success that Johnsons saw in 2020, this move looks like a no brainer for the Texans to make, replacing a relatively big running back salary of an unproductive back.
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The caveat could be in play if the new head coach values the unique skillset of Johnson. However, with his injury history and struggles to hold onto the football, there is no guaranteeing what Johnson can bring to a team on the field.