Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson restructures contract
By Jason Marcum
The Houston Texans inked linebacker Brian Cushing to a 6-year contract extension today, and the deal is worth $55.643 million, including $21 million guaranteed. IN order to free up enough salary cap-space to sign Cushing, All-Pro receiver Andre Johnson has agreed to take a pay-cut, according to ESPN:
"In order to free the salary-cap space to sign Cushing, the team restructured receiver Andre Johnson’s deal to reduce a $10.5 million salary this year to $5 million in base salary and $5.5 million in bonuses, a league source said."
Johnson is signed through 2016, but at age 32, the Texans may not view him the elite receiver he’s been throughout his career anymore, and may look to take some of the pressure off of him in 2013 by focusing on younger receivers like rookie DeAndre Hopkins, as well as Keyshawn Martin and Lestar Jean.
That being said, Johnson is coming off of a 2012 campaign which saw him register 112 catches for 1,598 yards, and is still feared by defensive backs around the league. The Texans, lead by Johnson, should once agin be among the NFL’s best passing offenses.