The acquisition of running back David Johnson formed a reunion of two former Arizona Cardinals teammates.
Already on the Texans’ roster was tight end Darren Fells, who played for the Cardinals from 2013-16.
When the Cardinals selected Johnson in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft, the former Norther Iowa product described Fells, who had been with Arizona for two seasons, as still trying to figure out life in pro football.
“Honestly, we were both kind of fending for ourselves,” Johnson said. “With him being a tight end and me being a running back made a big difference as well. I did know that he picked up the offense pretty quickly and I know that he’s a professional first and foremost.”
Johnson says that Fells, who caught seven touchdowns for Houston last season, all in the red zone, can become a “second coach” in the position room after he learns the playbook.
“He knows how to handle himself on and off the field and me and him joke about it all the time that he was really the second coach in the tight ends room our year after he learned the playbook so fast,” said Johnson.
2015 was a special season for the Cardinals, who went 13-3, won the NFC West, and locked up the No. 2 seed in the conference en route to a conference title game appearance. Johnson produced 125 carries for 581 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie, and Fells caught 21 passes for 311 yards and three touchdowns.
The success Johnson and Fells had together in Arizona can’t be forgotten, and they seek to replicate it with the Texans.
Said Johnson: “We’re trying to do the same thing here in Houston and I’m glad that I get a familiar face here that I don’t have to learn. We can kind of talk to each other and I know how he plays already and it’s going to help out our offense a lot just because I know his tendencies, that he’s blocker for the run game and he’s good in the red zone, scoring touchdowns.”
If the Texans were to repeat the Cardinals’ 2015 season, it would be a collection of franchise firsts and lend credibility to Bill O’Brien’s dual role as coach and general manager.
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