With the 2020 NFL season right around the corner, the Houston Texans are going to be a very intriguing team to watch. Gone are the days of Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins wreaking havoc on defenses. Hopkins was traded to the Arizona Cardinals for a package that included running back David Johnson.
If we were having this conversion a few years back, this trade would have made much more sense. Johnson was one of the top running backs in the NFL. His dual-threat ability was unmatched.
Now, however, Johnson has suffered through injury issues and rough years. He is no longer viewed as a star. Houston wanted some running back help, but Johnson was not the guy that most fans and media members would have targeted.
Despite the negatives surrounding the trade, the Texans still have a quality football team put together. Watson is still a rising star and there is no denying the talent that Johnson possesses. If he can stay healthy and reach his own personal goals, the Texans are going to be tough.
Johnson opened up about his motivation to get back to being a 1,000-yard rusher and a 1,000-yard receiver for the Texans this season.
“I’m still striving to get that 1,000 yards rushing and receiving. So I’m going to do everything in my power—everything I humanly can—to get to that.”
During the 2019 season with the Cardinals, Johnson saw his starting job taken over by Kenyan Drake. When everything was said and done, he had carried the football just 94 times for 345 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught 36 passes for 370 yards and four touchdowns.
Granted, those numbers don’t look like big numbers. However, in a limited role, Johnson still showed that he has some good football left in him.
Looking ahead to the 2020 season, Johnson will be back in the lineup as a consistent starting running back. Houston does have Duke Johnson, but the Texans didn’t trade for Johnson to use him in a dual-back system. They think he can be their No. 1 guy.
At 28 years old, Johnson can absolutely turn things around with the Texans. In fact, fans should be expecting to see him turn things around.
It would be reasonable to expect around 900-1,000 rushing yards from Johnson, assuming he stays healthy. As a receiver, Watson will look to him often. Johnson should be able to rack up 50 receptions for 650 yards at least.
While the trade may look bad on the outside because of how good Hopkins is, Johnson will help even things out a bit. Watson and Johnson are going to make things difficult on opposing defenses.
Johnson may no longer be a superstar, but he still can be a star for the Texans. With a consistent role and consistent healthy, the sky is the limit for Johnson in his new situation.