The Houston Texans and David Johnson have worked out a deal where at least one player from a past trade is staying with the team in 2021, as the running back has a new one-year contract to help with the salary cap.
According to multiple reports, including one by NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, David Johnson and the Texans agreed on a new deal for the 2021 season. The deal is said to be worth a possible $6 million, with $4.25 million guaranteed.
Johnson joined the Texans last season in the biggest trade made in Houston Texans history, but unfortunately for the Texans, that trade didn’t go so well in their favor as they traded DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals, along with a fourth-round pick (2020) for Johnson, a second-round pick that became Ross Blacklock and a fourth-round pick (2021).
Though Deshaun Watson had a career year in passing yards, the Texans missed having Hopkins on the field last season, but what team wouldn’t miss having an All-Pro wide receiver on their roster, and what team makes things so difficult that the All-Pro players want to leave the franchise in the first place?
Source: The #Texans have agreed to terms on a new contract for RB David Johnson, with his one-year deal worth up to $6M with $4.25M fully guaranteed at signing. Johnson stays in Houston.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 2, 2021
Houston Texans: David Johnson and his 2020 season
David Johnson can still be a quality running back for the Houston Texans in 2021, but there must be improvement with the rushing game compared to last season where the Texans were one of the worst rushing teams in the entire league. The Texans finished 31st overall at 91.6 ypg rushing with 1,466 total rushing yards in 2020, and only the Pittsburgh Steelers were worse rushing the football in 2020.
The offensive line needs improvement for starters, and if that can be done with second-year offensive coordinator Tim Kelly getting his offense in line, the possibility of a rushing game could be had in 2021.
Last season, David Johnson played in 12 games for the Texans, where in 12 starts he had 147 rushes for 691 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 4.7 yards per carry. The issues for Johnson were he only averaged 12.3 carries per game, and he averaged 57.6 yards per game rushing.
Johnson also had 33 receptions on 46 targets or 314 yards, averaging 9.6 yards per reception, while also catching two touchdowns. Sixteen of his receptions were for a first down and the longest reception for Johnson went for 16 yards.
A positive that could be overlooked for David Johnson last season is he had 1,005 yards from scrimmage in 2020, and his yards from scrimmage average was 5.6.
All in all, keeping David Johnson is a good move for the Houston Texans, and Johnson’s guaranteed money in his new deal helps him more than before, while the Texans get salary cap help they want. Again, the offense needs to have a better rushing game, and David Johnson needs to be a part of that in 2021.