Andre Johnson's standoff with the Houston Texans didn't prevent the team's new head coach from getting down to business Friday.
After wrapping the squad's first rookie minicamp practice, Bill O'Brien declined to comment on his star wideout's displeasure over the direction of the franchise.
"I'll let Andre speak for himself," O'Brien told reporters, before adding that he felt a "tremendous amount of respect" for the 32-year-old Pro Bowl wide receiver.
"The conversations that Andre and I have had have been very positive about what we're doing here as a team," O'Brien said. "Obviously, offensively, what we're doing here, we've had good communications. But as far as what Andre said, I'll let him speak for himself."
Johnson dropped a bomb Wednesday, telling the media he didn't plan to attend organized team activities or minicamp while asking aloud of Houston: "Is this still the place for me?"
Complaining that the Texans have "only been to the playoffs twice" during his 11 years with the team, Johnson didn't shoot down the idea of finishing his career elsewhere.
O'Brien didn't nix the concept of a trade either, but moving Johnson would leave $11.96 million in dead money against the Texans' 2014 cap. Nobody's stepped forward as a serious candidate, but this story's far from over.
The latest "Around The League Podcast" breaks down the latest news and predicts the 2014 season for top rookies.