NFL Rumors: Texans won’t give DeAndre Hopkins new contract
By John Buhler
Not only is Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins holding out for a new contract, but the Texans have no interest in renegotiating his current deal.
As first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Houston Texans star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins plans to hold out for a new contract with his club. Hopkins is coming off a breakout 2015 NFL season where he made his first trip to the Pro Bowl with 111 receptions for 1,521 receiving yards and 11 touchdown catches.
Not only is Hopkins frustrated with his current deal with the Texans, but the Texans organization is reportedly not willing to budge on renegotiating Hopkins’ final two years of his rookie deal, according to the Houston Chronicle’s John McClain and former Texans general manager and current NFL Media analyst Charley Casserly.
DeAndre Hopkins contract won't b redone with 2 years left. ESPN reporting he didn't report with vets. They reported at midnight.
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) July 30, 2016
I would be shocked if #Texans react to Hopkins with a contract extension while he holds out @nflnetwork
— Charley Casserly (@CharleyCasserly) July 30, 2016
Hopkins is scheduled to make only $1.42 million in 2016. However, the current NFL wide receiver market dictates that he should be earning somewhere in the $15 million range annually. Given that Hopkins is arguably the second-best player on the Texans’ roster behind only elite defensive end J.J. Watt, it’s totally understandable that Hopkins feels he deserves a new deal.
His frustrations have been amplified recently for two reasons:
1. ) The Jacksonville Jaguars’ No. 2 wide receiver Allen Hurns just made eight figures on his current deal to stay in North Florida. Hurns is a top 20 receiver in the game, but Hopkins is certainly top five.
2.) Texans general manager Rick Smith received a four-year extension only days ago. This is the same general manager that spent a near fortune to bring in former Denver Broncos backup quarterback Brock Osweiler into the fold this offseason. Keep in mind that Hopkins put up All-Pro numbers at wideout for the 2015 Texans with an embarrassing quartet of NFL quarterbacks.
Houston won the AFC South in 2015, but the formerly weak division seems to be on the precipice of a very competitive fall. Indianapolis could rebound with a healthy Andrew Luck under center. Both Jacksonville and Tennessee seem to have found their franchise quarterbacks and could push for .500 records this season.
While the Texans might have been the favorites to repeat in the AFC South at the start of July, Watt’s back surgery and Hopkins’ holdout could have ghastly consequences on Houston’s 2016 NFL campaign.
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