The Houston Texans stunned the football world in March when they traded DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals, and we received some clarity on their reasoning Friday.
Bill O'Brien explained the team's decision-making process when speaking to season-ticket holders at a virtual town hall.
"It was in the best interest of our team," O'Brien said, via the Houston Chronicle's Aaron Wilson. "DeAndre Hopkins was a great football player. We loved DeAndre Hopkins. He had three years left on his deal and he wanted a raise. David Johnson is going to be a great addition to our football team."
Johnson's bloated contract and lack of star-like production in his last three seasons made him appear more like an albatross in this trade than an asset, but as O'Brien made clear above, the Texans view him as a potentially helpful addition. The other part of the trade, though -- a second-round pick and a 2021 fourth-round pick -- for a four-time All-Pro receiver in his prime made it appear more like a lopsided swap.
As evidenced by O'Brien's response, the Texans feel good about the move they made, avoiding adding salary to an already healthy contract for Hopkins and getting a player at a position of need, as well as a couple of draft picks, in return. Time will tell whether it was a good deal, but for now, O'Brien's Texans aren't looking back.
