Andre Johnson may have played his last game in a Houston uniform. (Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)
After 12 seasons with the Houston Texans, Andre Johnson is ready to move elsewhere.
The star wide receiver received permission from the Texans on Monday to work out a trade to another team. If a swap isn’t completed, Johnson would asked to be waived, which would make him an unrestricted free agent, according to the Houston Chronicle.
The arrangement was reached after Johnson was told he would face a reduced role with the Texans.
“I knew it was going to happen,” Johnson told FOX26 Sports in Houston. “That’s pretty much it. I think the role that they had for me, it wasn’t a role for me.
“I don’t know how you tell a guy who catches 85 balls that he’ll only probably catch 40. I just didn’t feel like it was a role for me to fit in. So I felt like why sit there and be miserable when I can go somewhere else and be able to show my talents. I feel like the role they were trying to put me in I would be held back from maximizing my talents. I feel like that was the best thing for both sides.”
Johnson added, “It’s business. I understand that side of it. I’m not angry about it. I knew at some point in time this day would come.”
Johnson has two seasons left on his contract. He is due a base pay of $10.5 million in 2015 with a salary-cap hit of $16.1 million, plus a $1 million workout bonus. His base salary in 2016 would be $11 million plus another $1 million workout bonus, and he would count $14,675,000 against the salary cap. The Chronicle reported that the Texans would clear $8.82 million in space against the salary cap by trading or releasing Johnson.
After news broke Monday, Johnson posted on his Instagram account, “Thank you Houston for a wonderful 12 years. And a special thanks to all the fans who have supported me throughout my career. #TeamEighty”
Johnson, 33, holds all of the Texans’ major receiving records: 1,012 receptions, 13,597 receiving yards, 64 receiving touchdowns.
Only Marvin Harrison reached 900 career catches faster than Johnson.
Johnson’s average of 80.5 receiving yards per game rates second in league history among players with at least five years of service.
A first-round pick out of Miami (Fla.) in 2003, Johnson topped 1,000 receiving yards in a season seven times with Houston, three times going over 1,500 yards. He had five seasons with 100 or more catches, and four times he caught eight or more scoring passes.
Last season, Johnson made 85 catches for 926 yards and three touchdowns. He also committed three fumbles, the first time he had more than one in a season.
