The Andre Johnson trade rumors will continue for the Texans into training camp this year and now teams like the Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles and Carolina Panthers could be interested in dealing, as all have various needs at the WR position and the longer Johnson holds out, the more the Texans will think about trading him.
According to Grantland.com, the Eagles, Raiders and Browns make the most sense, as they have needs at the position and cap space to make a deal happen. The tough part is that the Texans have to eat money if they trade him and they obviously also have to pay if they keep him, so they must weigh their options in that sense as well. The Eagles need a legit replacement for DeSean Jackson, while the Browns may lose Josh Gordon for a full year. The Raiders want more behind Denarius Moore for Matt Schaub, while the Panthers also need some depth.
NFL.com reports that four teams are interested in making a deal, but until training camp starts, the Texans may hold tight. Johnson is not demanding a new contract or a trade, but he is unhappy that the team, went 2-14 last season and that he also has to play for a new coach in Bill O'Brien. Last season Johnson made over 100 catches for 1400 yards and he is the leading receiver in Texans history. The deal could take time, but it also likely will not go down this summer, as there is a ton of money wrapped up in Johnson. Johnson also wants to play in the playoffs and for an organization on the rise.
The Raiders and Browns are not the perfect examples of winning, but they have the cap space, while the Patriots could try and pull this move to put them even higher on the list of Super Bowl contenders. The team did that once with Randy Moss and they could use some age and experience at the position to help players like Josh Boyce, Kenbrell Thompkins and Aaron Dobson develop. Johnson is rarely hurt and he is a very strong and smart receiver and likely would fit right into what Bill Belichick does.
The Texans come into the season after going 2-14 last year and they ranked 20th in the league in rushing yards per game and 15th in passing yards. The team dealt with injuries on offense and after losing Ben Tate, they will need Arian Foster to step up and stay healthy for a full season. Johnson is a massive talent and a very durable and productive player and the Texans do not want to trade him unless they have no other choice.
Gordon had a breakout season in 2013 and showed why he is one of the most explosive players in the league, but his off the field issues may hold him back from succeeding. Gordon had a career high 87 catches last season for a league-leading 1,646 yards and nine touchdowns and he appeared to be on the brink of superstardom. Gordon became the first player ever to get back to back 200 yard receiving games and he did this with so-so quarterback play from Brandon Weeden and Brian Hoyer last year.