DeAndre Hopkins' holdout lasted just one day after the receiver reported to Houston Texans camp on Sunday.
Hopkins reiterated yesterday that he still believes he deserves to get paid more than the paltry $1 million base salary he's set to earn in 2016.
Texans owner Bob McNair told the Houston Chronicle's John McClain that he was glad his top receiving target ended his holdout quickly.
"I'm happy that he's back," McNair said. "I think it's in his best interest for him to be here.
"We'll deal with his contract at the proper time. We take care of our players and we'll take care of him."
The question now is what "proper time" means.
Clearly to Hopkins, that time is now. Already one of the best receivers in the NFL, in 2015 Hopkins earned 31.6 percent of the Texans passing targets, gobbling up 111 receptions for 1,521 yards and 11 touchdowns. Oh, and he did all that with some of the least-efficient quarterback play on the planet.
The Texans, however, have little incentive to pay Hopkins close to his worth -- around the $15 million per year other receivers his caliber are making -- with two years left on his deal. Houston did re-do J.J. Watt's contract with multiple years left, but has been staunchly against paying other players with multiple years left on their deals.
Will McNair give his best offensive player the same courtesy he once gave his top defender? Or does "proper time" mean Hopkins will have to play out 2016 as one of the most egregiously underpaid players in the NFL in order to get to his payday?
