Tag: DeAndre Hopkins

The NFL world roasted the Texans for trading DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals

Uh, what?!

Football fans can thank Texans head coach (and general manager!) Bill O’Brien for giving everyone something to laugh about.

On Monday, news first broke that the Arizona Cardinals were trading running back David Johnson to the Texans. With only seeing the Cardinals side of the trade, many reasonably assumed that Arizona would get some draft picks in return for the now-declining running back.

About that …

As part of the trade, the Texans are sending star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and a fourth-round pick to Arizona for Johnson, a second-round pick and a fourth-round pick. It was just an astounding decision that decidedly benefited the Cardinals and Kliff Kingsbury’s offense. It even helped the Cardinals financially.

It also had the NFL world completely roasting the Texans. Texans players weren’t happy either.

You can read more about the trade from USA TODAY Sports.

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Titans catch a break as Texans trade DeAndre Hopkins to Cardinals

DeAndre Hopkins is no longer in the AFC South.

The Tennessee Titans will no longer have to face DeAndre Hopkins twice a year.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Houston Texans have agreed to a trade that is still being finalized that will send Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals and running back David Johnson to the Texans.

There are also picks involved in the trade.

This is absolutely stunning news.

There were rumors circulating that the Texans might be willing to trade Hopkins for the right price, but nobody thought it was realistic, and certainly not close to happening.

This is obviously great news for the Titans, who no longer have to defend Hopkins, who is a problem for any secondary. Granted, the Texans get a solid back in Johnson, but it’s a trade off Tennessee won’t mind making.

The Titans only saw Hopkins once last year because he was rested in Week 17 after the Texans clinched a spot in the playoffs, but in Week 15 he totaled six catches for 119 yards.

For his career, Hopkins has totaled 83 catches for 1,313 yards and seven touchdowns in 13 games against Tennessee. That works out to an average of 101 yards per game.

He’s now the NFC West’s problem, and every team in the AFC South should be thanking the Texans for making this move.

Texans trade WR DeAndre Hopkins for Cardinals RB David Johnson

The Houston Texans are trading All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals as part of their deal for running back David Johnson.

The rumors were swirling that the Houston Texans have All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins on the trade block.

The rumor got started on Monday when Peter King from NBC Sports’ “Football Morning in America” told him that two teams over the weekend told him to watch the Texans and Hopkins.

It might be just pre-draft chatter, but two teams over the weekend told me to watch Houston and DeAndre Hopkins, who has three years and a reasonable $40 million left on his contract, and who’d cause only a $3-million cap hit to the Texans if they traded him. Houston is currently in draft hell, without a top-50 pick in 2020 and 2021, and coach Bill O’Brien has huge needs to fill on his offensive line, in the secondary and overall youth on the front seven; J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus will play this year at 31 and 30.

Now, that rumor has come true.

The Texans traded with the Arizona Cardinals for All-Pro running back David Johnson and threw in a late-round pick. On top of that, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Cardinals will send along Johnson and a second-round pick to get Hopkins, who is looking for a new contract anyway.

According to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, the Texans sent their 2020 fourth-round pick and will get back Arizona’s 2020 second-round pick and their 2021 fourth-round pick.

With Hopkins off the Texans, quarterback Deshaun Watson now has receivers Will Fuller, Kenny Stills, Keke Coutee, and DeAndre Carter.

Could Giants be players in a potential DeAndre Hopkins trade?

Could the New York Giants be players in a potential trade of Houston Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins?

The NFL, like everything else in American life these days, is in lock-down. There are unprecedented times and they call for unprecedented measures.

That aside, we could see NFL teams make radical moves this March since free agency will be restricted with no visits or physicals taking place. Things will get done, but not in the regular way.

We could see a rash of trades as teams look to tidy up their finances. Some major stars could be made available. One of those could be five-time All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

Hopkins could be the bargaining chip the Houston Texans use to solve many of their other needs. They traded away many of their top selections in the next two drafts and could be looking to replenish by dealing Hopkins for a package. Could the Giants be a possible destination?

“What could hurt (head coach Bill) O’Brien if he’s serious about moving Hopkins is he’ll play this year at 28, and he wasn’t as explosive last year as he’d been,” writes veteran NFL columnist Peter King. “And the fact that this is one of the best years in history for wideouts in the draft. How tempting Hopkins would be, though, to teams with cap money. The Patriots, at 23, would be a fascinating match (they might need a mid- or late-round pick back with Hopkins), or the Niners at 31, Giants at 36 or Dolphins at 39.”

Hopkins is one of the most reliable and explosive players in the league and would certainly give the Giants a monster vertical passing attack along with Sterling Shepard, Golden Tate, Evan Engram and Darius Slayton.

The only way I see the Giants doing this is if they trade the No. 4 overall pick for more draft capital. Right now, they have No. 4, No. 36 and No. 99. Trading No. 36 gives them Hopkins but takes them out of the running for some the studs that will fall out of the first round.

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Todd Gurley sat courtside with DeAndre Hopkins at Lakers game

Todd Gurley was with DeAndre Hopkins at the Lakers game last night.

Todd Gurley is back home in Los Angeles after doing a lot of traveling in recent weeks, which included a trip to Budapest with the American Football Without Barriers program and several stops in Europe along the way.

On Tuesday night, Gurley was courtside at the Lakers game for their narrow 104-102 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. He was accompanied by Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, sitting along the baseline at the Staples Center.

In addition to Gurley and Hopkins, another NFL star was also in attendance. Odell Beckham Jr. was with Hopkins and Gurley at halftime as the three were on the court during the break.

Gurley has been a big supporter of the company Beyond Meat on social media, even investing in it during the early stages of its inception. He was wearing a Beyond Meat hat at the game, while Hopkins was also rocking a hoodie with the company’s logo.

It would seem both are ambassadors for the brand, or at the very least investors.

There’s no doubt Gurley has been enjoying his offseason, taking time off after a long and grueling season. He said as much in an interview with The Athletic, also adding that he’s trying to “take care of my business off the field.”

He’s not necessarily ready to get back into football mode just yet, though.

“Each offseason is different. For me, I take my time,” he said. “I’m all about longevity. Some people want to get right back into it in January. Some people wait until February, some wait until March.”

Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins calling for ‘reunion’ with Sammy Watkins

Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins calling for “reunion” with Kansas City Chiefs receiver Sammy Watkins.

Fresh off of a Super Bowl victory with the Kansas City Chiefs, wide receiver Sammy Watkins is seemingly on the lookout for his next destination. The former Buffalo Bill tweeted “Where is my next adventure gonna be at..!” hinting that his recent contract negotiations with the Chiefs aren’t going according to plan. Cue DeAndre Hopkins to intervene.

The All-Pro receiver with the Houston Texans has tweeted suggesting Bill O’Brien’s side bring in his former Clemson teammate.

Watkins showcased his notorious pace throughout the 2019 season recording 673 receiving yards and three touchdowns during the regular season, forming a potent receiving trio alongside Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman.

If the Chiefs were to make Watkins a salary cap casualty, he would be a logical target for the Texans. With wide receiver, Will Fuller set to hit free agency in 2021 and given his injury history since being drafted back in 2016, Watkins would be somewhat of a straight swap in the lineup.

Watkins himself has had troubles staying on the field, having only played one full season back in his rookie 2014 campaign. However, having played 14 regular-season games in 2019 as well as all three postseason games, he seems to be on the path back to the electric form he showed in 2014 and 2015 in particular.

The duo played together for the Tigers from 2011 to 2012, with Hopkins calling Watkins “my brother.” With Deshaun Watson, a fellow Clemson alumnus in at quarterback for the Texans, perhaps its time for Houston to complete their Tigers reunion with Watkins the final piece of the puzzle.

Texans with 3 players on Pro Football Focus’ top-101 NFL players from 2019

The Houston Texans had three players place on Pro Football Focus’ top-101 players from the 2019 NFL season.

The Houston Texans are replete with talent, and their 10-6 record and repeat as AFC South champions only buttresses this fact.

According to Pro Football Focus, the Texans have three players who are among the top-101 NFL players from the 2019 season.

The first is three-time All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who comes in at No. 39 on PFF’s list.

The best players in the NFL show up for the biggest occasions, and that typifies what DeAndre Hopkins did this season. In the first half of their playoff game against the Buffalo Bills, the team was moving him around to avoid the attention of Bills corner Tre’ Davious White, but in the second half they just decided to take him on, and Hopkins got the better of the battle for more than just one key play. In their second playoff game, Hopkins caught nine passes for 118 yards in a losing effort against the eventual Super Bowl champion Chiefs. Hopkins is one of the best in the game, and he’s at his best in the biggest moments.

The next Texans player to place on the list was actually defensive tackle D.J. Reader at No. 51. Pro Football Focus likes his ability to be a run-stuffer but also influence the pass rush. According to PFF, Reader, who is set to be a free agent in the 2020 offseason, had a 72.5 grade rushing the passer and had a career high 36 pressures on 409 pass rushes.

Quarterback Deshaun Watson placed 87th on the list. According to Pro Football Focus, it was Watson’s three games with sub-40.0 grades that caused him to fall to such a level. Otherwise, he is still considered a player northward of No. 50 in their rankings. The only quarterback lower than Watson on the list was Dallas Cowboys field general Dak Prescott, who came in at No. 93 in the rankings.

DeAndre Hopkins says Bill O’Brien ‘does a great job’ handling Texans’ coaching and GM duties

Houston Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins says that coach Bill O’Brien has done well pulling double duty leading the team and being general manager.

Count Houston Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins as someone who believes that Bill O’Brien is doing well pulling double duty as coach and general manager.

The three-time All-Pro joined SB Nation Radio’s “The Main Event” on Friday from Radio Row in Miami, and spent some time talking about the latest moves the Texans have made in the front office.

“You know, it’s not easy, man,” Hopkins said. “I’m pretty sure he has a lot on his plate, but he handles it pretty well. Being able to go out there and still coach a team at a competitive level the way we did and compete for almost a title, man, it’s not easy. He’s human, but he does a great job handling it very well.”

As the main influencer for the Texans’ five-man general managing council they had in place with vice president of football administration Chris Olsen as the interim GM, O’Brien orchestrated trades for left tackle Laremy Tunsil, receiver Kenny Stills, and running back Carlos Hyde that kept the Texans competitive and repeated as AFC South champions. Houston also managed to win a wild-card playoff game in a 22-19 overtime thriller against the Buffalo Bills that helped produce results in chairman Cal McNair’s evaluation.

Hopkins believes that O’Brien’s experience as a coach gives him an advantage as a general manager.

Said Hopkins: “I think it’s definitely probably an advantage that he’s coached before and actually been out there on the football field and knows exactly what’s going on X’s and O’s wise. So, I’m pretty sure that helps.”

With O’Brien having all of the power, the buck stops with the former Penn State coach who is entering his seventh season with the Texans. If Houston still has trouble cracking into the NFL’s final four, then the evaluation of O’Brien’s performance falls from “great” to “stagnant.”

Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins played with broken rib, dislocated finger in divisional loss to the Chiefs

Houston Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins says he played with a broken rib and dislocated finger in the 51-31 AFC divisional loss at the Kansas City Chiefs.

For the second straight season, All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins fought through injury as the Houston Texans were being ushered out of the playoffs.

According to an interview with Hopkins via Mark Berman of Fox 26, the former 2013 first-round pick from Clemson played with a broken rib and a dislocated finger in the Texans’ 51-31 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC divisional playoffs on Jan. 12 at Arrowhead Stadium.

“My teammates I saw out there was fighting with me,” Hopkins said Wednesday as he and his mother donated $45,000 to The Women’s Group in Houston. “They were giving everything they had out there. It was no question that I was going to stay in the locker room in the second half. It was out of the question, especially when my team needed me, even if my presence was out there. I was going to play for the guys out there with me.”

Hopkins caught nine passes for 118 yards and had a fumble.

“It’s tough,” Hopkins said. “It’s hard to breathe. It’s football. It’s an injury. So, it was nothing.”

With regards to Hopkins’ dislocated finger on his right hand, the Pro Bowler said he would play with seven fingers if necessary.

Said Hopkins: “I’d play with seven fingers if I had to, man. Any injury is tough. It’s a little bit more tougher when it’s the hand that you have to catch with. But it’s football. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

In 2018’s AFC wild-card, the Texans lost 21-7 at home to the Indianapolis Colts. Hopkins battled the entire four quarters with a shoulder injury that kept him out of the Pro Bowl.

The injuries Hopkins sustained, while keeping him out of the Pro Bowl, should not prevent him from taking part in the Texans’ nine-week offseason workouts, which start in April.

2019 Texans position review: Receivers

The Houston Texans’ season is over, but DeAndre Hopkins led a receiving corps that had key contributions from Will Fuller, Kenny Stills, and more.

The Houston Texans’ season is over. After finishing 10-6, they found themselves in the divisional round of the NFL Playoffs, only to lose a 24-0 lead to the Kansas City Chiefs, who moved on by winning in 51-31 fashion.

With the season now over for the Texans, let’s take a gander at the wide receiver position group.

Per usual, DeAndre Hopkins led the Texans’ receiving corps. For the third straight season, he made the first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl for his efforts, despite not amassing his usual gaudy numbers. In 15 games, the 27-year-old tallied 104 receptions for 1,165 yards and seven touchdowns.

Again, Will Fuller acted as Hopkins’ sidekick. Again, he struggled with injuries for the entirety of the season, with hamstring and groin ailments taking away five contests for the speedster out of Notre Dame.

Despite missing significant time and finished nine of his 11 games, Fuller notched his career-high in yards with 670. He also added in 49 receptions and three touchdowns. In games that he started and finished, the Texans went 7-2, proving he is a catalyst to success.

Kenny Stills once looked to be a throw-in in the famed Laremy Tunsil trade. He quickly proved his worth. Though he missed three games (two due to a hamstring), Stills looks like a mainstay in the Texans’ offense, as he tallied 40 receptions for 561 yards and four touchdowns. His speed made him a perfect replacement to Fuller when injured.

Keke Coutee, DeAndre Carter and Steven Mitchell round out the Texans’ 2019 receiving corps.

Coutee entered the season as a name on the breakout list. Then, the slot receiver got himself in trouble. Throughout the first half of the season, the Texas Tech product saw himself making key mistakes, including wrongly ran routes and drops. He was in the doghouse for much of the season and didn’t see an offensive snap in the playoffs.

Carter, a return man, took advantage of Coutee’s mishaps. Bill O’Brien opted to use the speedster as their slot receiver in the latter half of the season. He finished the year with 11 receptions for 162 yards.

Mitchell saw most of his playing time in a meaningless season finale game. He wound-up catching two balls for 37 yards in 2019. Like Coutee, he made a few mistakes when an opening on the roster popped up for him.

For 2020, Hopkins, Fuller and Stills should be locks to make the roster. When healthy, the trio makes for one of the best receiver combinations in the NFL. As for the rest, they will likely be playing for their respective spots in the offseason.