Andre Johnson won't be traded?

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000364223/article/workout-bonus-part-of-divide-between-andre-johnson-texans

By Ian Rapoport

Before OTAs and minicamp, star wide receiver Andre Johnson told the Houston Texans he had heard enough from the new staff and coach Bill O’Brien to make him want to show up and join the team. He told them of his plans to be there for offseason workouts, despite missing the early portion of it. The question revolved around his $1 million bonus for attending workouts.

Though Johnson had missed some of the sessions, he wanted to earn his money back by working out extra, allowing him to receive the money.

The Texans told him no, per two sources informed of the situation.

That furthered the divide between Johnson and the Texans, driving a wedge between the parties. That caused Johnson to tell them he wanted to play for another team. He is now working out, “not thinking about the Texans,” a source said.

The Texans have not yet been willing to trade him.

As he has expressed publicly, Johnson believes the team is rebuilding, and he has said he has doubts about if he wants to take part in another similar process, as he has several times in his career.

Johnson has also restructured his contract in each of the past three years at the team’s behest, and he wants the same goodwill from the Texans regarding his $1 million roster bonus that he could earn Week 1 if he participates in offseason workouts and fulfills his contract.

The Texans declined to comment on the story, and Johnson’s agent, Kennard McGuire, did not return a call for comment. Johnson told NFL Media on Wednesday that he didn’t know if he’ll be with the Texans on Week 1. Asked if he’d be at camp, Johnson said “hopefully” but he didn’t know for sure.

Johnson is set to earn $10 million this year, not including his workout bonus. A source informed of Johnson’s thinking says he would restructure his contract to help a potential new team get under the salary cap but a pay cut is not in the cards.

The Texans have resisted his request for a trade thus far, though four teams have expressed interest. Meanwhile, one veteran Texans player said while the team wants Johnson to play with them in 2014, they’ve also told him from a business sense, “Stick to your guns.”

One possible option for the team to resolve this standoff (if they refuse to trade him) is to guarantee he’s on the roster for 2015. That might bring Johnson back. They also could simply decide to pay him his $1 million bonus. Or, they could stand their ground and he’ll play for no one in 2014.

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Report: Andre Johnson will not be traded by Texans

By Chris Wesseling
July 11, 2014

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000364483/article/report-andre-johnson-will-not-be-traded-by-texans

Although four teams have expressed interest in dealing for Andre Johnson, Around The League has maintained that a trade involving the disgruntled wide receiver is highly unlikely.

The Houston Chronicle’s John McClain went a step further on Friday, stating flat-out that Johnson will not be traded.

In fact, McClain “guaranteed,” via a video posted on the Chronicle’s web site, that Johnson will be playing for the Texans in Week 1 versus the Redskins.

The Texans realize this is just business, per McClain, and there are no hard feelings toward their franchise icon. But the organization realizes they are a better team with Johnson, and they are determined to see him finish his career in a Houston uniform.

From a financial perspective, they don’t want to hand over Johnson’s $1 million workout bonus or guarantee his 2015 salary for fear of setting a precedent to be used by J.J. Watt’s agent in the future.

Unless Johnson is legitimately willing to remove football from his life — as Carson Palmer did with the Bengals in 2011 — he lacks any semblance of leverage.

The 33-year-old would be walking away not only from $10 million, but also the opportunity to solidify his Hall of Fame résumé on the heels of back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons.

In other words, fans of the Patriots, Browns and Panthers shouldn’t count on adding one of the game’s premier wideouts to their roster this summer.

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