Will David Johnson Play Again This Yar

Texans Free Agency Profile: Is David Johnson'due south Tenure In Houston Over?

Running back David Johnson could be on his way out the door in costless agency subsequently two subpar seasons with the Houston Texans.

HOUSTON — Evolving into the modern-twenty-four hours Emmitt Smith or LaDainian Tomlinson was probable the only way David Johnson could accept given any satisfaction to i of the almost lopsided trades in NFL history.

The Houston Texans acquired Johnson in March of 2020 amid a trade that sent DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals. Johnson'southward on-field production with the Texans decreased exponentially in comparison to his days in Arizona, where the 30-twelvemonth-old running dorsum registered 919 rushing yards and six touchdowns in 25 career games in Houston.

Afterwards arguably one of the worst rushing attacks in franchise history, the Texans are in desperate need to revamp their backfield this offseason. And following the conclusion to re-sign Rex Burkhead prior to the end of the 2021 campaign, Johnson's departure from the Texans appears imminent.

"I call back just accountability — me included," Johnson said when asked how the Texans can meliorate the run game in September. "When I see a pigsty, running through information technology, doing everything I can for that, helping out the offensive line, setting up blocks, especially on the 2d level when a linebacker is just sitting there seeing what I'm going to do. I retrieve just everyone relying more than on each other, accountability, that kind of matter."

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DAVID JOHNSON 2021 Season RECAP:

Johnson was ane of five running backs named to the Texans' 53-human being roster at the start of the flavour and was the least efficient.

Johnson rushed for a career-low 228 yards when playing x games or more than in a single season. His best game of the year running the brawl came during the Texans' Week 11 loss to the New York Jets, where Johnson recorded a season-best 39 yards on ten carries.

What made Johnson'southward 2021 entrada more disheartening was his subpar production as a pass-catcher coming out of the backfield. Johnson's versatility as a pass-catcher was his well-nigh useful attribute during his heyday with the Cardinals.

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Information technology's a trait Johnson provided the Texans with a modest lift in the passing game, where he recorded 314 yards on 33 catches in 2020. Ane twelvemonth later, Johnson's production in the passing game declined. He registered 225 receiving yards on 32 catches — over again setting another career-low after playing 10 games or more than in a single season.

Simply even among Johnson'southward struggles throughout the year, 2021 was some other campaign where the onetime All-Pro running back battled an contrasted of injuries in addition to COVID.

"I recall his lack of production has been merely because of the injuries," one-time coach David Culley said later on the Texans' win against the Jacksonville Jaguars in December. "The reason that you didn't see him in the game the other twenty-four hours was that he got injured. Had he non got injured, he would've been playing.

His role is still the same. It's only happened to be the injuries that take kept him from doing what he needed to do, merely his role is even so there."

FREE Bureau OUTLOOK:

After back-to-back horrid seasons with the Texans, Johnson'due south days as a team'due south primary running back are probable over. The best-instance scenario for Johnson's career moving frontwards is to sign with a team that already has an established running dorsum, and he can serve as a secondary option.

The New Orleans Saints and the Minnesota Vikings could explore the market for a backup running back in hopes of keeping their respective Pro-Bowlers (Alvin Kamara and Dalvin Cook) fresh throughout the season. And Johnson could make a solid contingency plan for both franchises.

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Source: https://www.si.com/nfl/texans/news/houston-david-johnson-free-agency-arizona-cardinals

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