Titans CB Kevin Johnson To Retire
Despite landing a one-year deal in free agency for a third straight offseason, Kevin Johnson will opt to step away from football. The Titans cornerback is retiring, according to the team.
Tennessee signed Johnson in March, giving him a one-year deal worth $2.25MM. The 28-year-old cornerback will wrap his career after six seasons. Injuries, unfortunately, played a significant part in the former first-round pick’s NFL run.
The Texans selected Johnson 16th overall in 2015 out of Wake Forest. He started 10 games as a rookie but was unable to stay on the field in subsequent years, shortening his time in Houston. Though Johnson bounced back to carve out roles in Buffalo and Cleveland, he will finish his career with one interception.
A broken foot began Johnson’s rough luck in 2016, limiting him to six games in his second season. In 2017, a sprained MCL cost him time. While Johnson played 12 games that season, he suited up for just one in 2018 after a severe concussion sidelined him that September. The Titans cut him in 2019, backtracking on a fifth-year option commitment it made the previous spring.
Johnson played out one-year deals with the Bills and Browns the past two seasons. Working as a depth piece for the two rising teams, the 6-foot defender helped both to the playoffs. However, Johnson was part of a Browns COVID-19 outbreak late last season. As a result, Cleveland’s primary slot corner was not on the field for the franchise’s first playoff win in 26 years.
Since signing Johnson, the Titans used first- and third-round picks on corners — Caleb Farley and Elijah Molden. Tennessee invested a second-round pick in Kristian Fulton last year and also signed Janoris Jenkins this March. The Titans’ new-look cornerback contingent will not include Johnson, but the team has been active in adding cover men over the past two offseasons.
Details On Rex Burkhead’s Texans Deal
Earlier this week, the Texans added Rex Burkhead to their revamped running back group. Turns out, it didn’t cost them much. Burkhead’s one-year deal is worth $1.5MM, with his $125K signing bonus representing the only guaranteed cash (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). 
The Texans already seemed pretty well set at RB with Pro Bowlers Mark Ingram, David Johnson, and Phillip Lindsay in place. However, new GM Nick Caserio couldn’t pass up the opportunity to reunite with his old Patriots pal. With a mere $125K committed to the veteran, it’s hard to knock the move.
Burkhead, 30, comes to the Texans with ample experience and a reputation for soft hands out of the backfield. Across his 41 games in New England, Burkhead caught 96 passes for 856 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 8.9 yards per grab. He also ran for 1,026 yards on the ground, giving him a respectable 4.1 yards per tote average.
Unfortunately, Burkhead finished 2020 early, thanks to a November ACL tear. In ten games, he ran for 274 yards and three touchdowns on 67 carries. He also had 25 receptions for 192 yards and three TDs.
Now, he’ll compete with lesser known backs like Scottie Phillips, Buddy Howell, and Dontrell Hilliard for a spot on the roster. And, if he doesn’t outshine them, the Texans can shed his deal without tying up the books.
Texans Sign Rex Burkhead
The Texans have signed Rex Burkhead, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. The ex-Patriots running back will join fellow newcomers Mark Ingram and Phillip Lindsay in the Texans’ new-look group.
Burkhead, 30, ended the season on IR, thanks to a November ACL tear. Before that, he was enjoying another solid season as the Pats’ change-of-pace back. Through ten games, the 30-year-old collected 274 yards and three touchdowns on 67 carries. He also had 25 receptions for 192 yards and three scores.
The Texans now count seven RBs on their 90-man offseason roster. Burkhead works to carve out a role, he’ll have plenty of familiar faces around. Texans GM and longtime Patriots exec Nick Caserio has imported lots of players from New England, including offensive tackle Marcus Cannon, wide receiver Donte Moncrief, and defensive end Derek Rivers.
David Johnson and Ingram still project to serve as the lead backs, with support from Lindsay. Assuming all three stick, there’s probably only one more RB spot up for grabs in Houston.
Texans Sign QB Davis Mills
The Texans have officially signed rookie quarterback Davis Mills (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Field Yates). Per the terms of his slot, Davis will earn $5.2MM+ over the course of his four-year deal. 
Davis was a third-round pick, but he was the first player taken by the Texans this year. Ideally, the Texans would like to ease the Stanford product into the pro game. But, with continued uncertainty surrounding Deshaun Watson, there’s no telling how Mills will be deployed. For what it’s worth, new head coach David Culley is high on him.
“Davis Mills, I thought [GM Nick Caserio‘s] staff did a great job of all of a sudden earmarking a guy that fit what a quarterback in the NFL is all about,” Culley said earlier this month. “Obviously he didn’t play as much football as some of the other guys because of the COVID situation in the Pac-12, but we really love what he’s all about. We love all of the intangibles he has. He’s a pro-type NFL quarterback and we feel good to have him. He’s smart. He can make all the throws and we feel good and feel fortunate that we’re able to get him when we got him.”
If Watson doesn’t return to the Texans this year, Mills will likely start the year as the No. 2 QB behind team veteran Tyrod Taylor. Well-traveled QB Jeff Driskel is also in the mix, having leapfrogged Ryan Finley, who was recently cut.
As a two-year starter, Mills threw for 3,468 yards, 18 touchdowns, and eight interceptions while completing 65.5% of his throws. Now, he’ll look to make his mark in the pros along with the rest of the Texans’ rookie class. Mills was the first one picked and the last one to sign, meaning that the Texans’ entire class has now been wrapped up.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/24/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: WR Johnnie Dixon
Detroit Lions
- Signed: T Darrin Paulo
Green Bay Packers
- Released: CB KeiVarae Russell
Minnesota Vikings
- Claimed (from Texans): OL Cohl Cabral
Texans To Cut Ryan Finley
The Texans have been adding quarterbacks left and right as they prepare for a potential worst-case scenario in the Deshaun Watson saga, and now they’re letting one go.
Houston is releasing Ryan Finley, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets. The Texans had just traded for Finley back in March, acquiring him from the Bengals in exchange for a late-round pick swap. Cincy was planning on cutting Finley before they were able to turn a seventh-rounder into a sixth-rounder a couple months back.
The Bengals drafted Finley in the fourth-round only in 2019, but he didn’t pan out. The NC State product started three games his rookie season after the team benched Andy Dalton to get a look at the youngster. He looked totally unprepared for NFL football, and was so bad the Bengals quickly moved back to Dalton. He started one game last year, and in four career starts has averaged 5.4 yards per attempt with a 48.7 percent completion percentage.
The Texans decided to take a flyer, but after signing Jeff Driskel the quarterbacks room became crowded. Outside of Driskel and Watson, the Texans also have Tyrod Taylor and rookie third-round pick Davis Mills on the roster.
None of them are particularly inspiring, but Houston is making sure they have options in the event they can’t reconcile with Watson.
Texans’ Deshaun Watson Still Wants Trade
Embattled quarterback Deshaun Watson won’t be with the Texans when they begin OTAs (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). Despite everything else going on in Watson’s world, the longtime Houston star still wants to be traded, Pelissero hears. 
Watson’s rift with the Texans was the big storyline to start 2021, with the Panthers and other contenders rushing to the phones. Then, a slew of allegations started to trickle out in the spring. To date, Watson and his attorney have denied wrongdoing in the 20+ cases. Meanwhile, his deposition is set for February of 2022 — after Super Bowl LVI.
Watson could be free to play in the interim, if he’s not parked on the Commissioner’s Exempt List. If he’s cleared to play by the league office, the easiest path to the field would be to try and mend fences with the Texans. For now, GM Nick Caserio isn’t saying much regarding the situation.
“If you want to speculate, you should probably go buy Bitcoin,” Caserio said recently.
Watson, 26 in September, led the league with 4,823 passing yards in 2020 — a new career-high. He also set new personal bests with 33 passing touchdowns and a 70.2% completion rate. Given his ongoing legal situation it’s unclear if any team would actually trade for him right now, or what they’d give up if they would.
Certainly, the compensation would be something less than the earth-shattering mega package they would’ve received a few months ago. Either way, it doesn’t sound like the allegations have done much to alter Watson’s firm stance, and it sure doesn’t seem like he’ll be reporting any time soon. Assuming the two sides don’t reconcile, the Texans have a few options.
They signed Tyrod Taylor, a serviceable veteran bridge guy. They also drafted Davis Mills 67th overall from Stanford, and signed backup journeyman Jeff Driskel.
Raiders, Dolphins Tried To Claim Geron Christian
On Friday, the Texans claimed former Washington left tackle Geron Christian. But, they weren’t the only team to submit a claim for him. Had the WFT passed, Christian would have joined the Raiders (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Field Yates). The Dolphins also submitted a claim on the 2018 third-rounder.
Christian was less-than-stellar in D.C., but quality tackles are hard to come by at this stage of the offseason. He’s also on the final year of his low-cost rookie year deal, making him an affordable pickup for teams in need. That was a definite selling point for the Texans, who have spent most of their offseason inking free agents to short-term contracts.
The 6-foot-6 blocker has played in 24 games over the course of his pro career, which started as a reserve behind Trent Williams. Injuries have held Christian up along the way, including an MCL tear as a rookie. Last year, Christian saw just six games and graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 60 ranked tackle in the league. On Friday, Washington brought an end to Christian’s tenure while also dropping the durable Morgan Moses.
Now, Washington has new options in rookie Samuel Cosmi and veteran Charles Leno. The Texans are well covered with Laremy Tunsil, Tytus Howard, Marcus Cannon, and Christian. Meanwhile, the Raiders and Dolphins will continue to search for outside protectors.
Deshaun Watson’s Deposition Set For February 2022
As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports, the scheduling order signed by the presiding judge in the lawsuits filed against Texans QB Deshaun Watson has set Watson’s deposition for February 22, 2022. That is over a week after Super Bowl LVI.
So unless there’s a settlement prior to that date, then Watson would theoretically be able to play the entire 2021 campaign with Houston — if he is willing to drop his previous trade demands in light of his current predicament — or with another club if a rival GM is willing to take a career-defining risk. Florio predicts that Watson will report to Houston’s training camp, and that’s when matters will truly come to a head.
Indeed, there is a very real possibility that Watson will be placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt list for an indefinite period of time, and perhaps until all 22 lawsuits are resolved. His first appearance at training camp could force Roger Goodell to make a decision in that regard one way or another.
Florio describes in a separate piece how the league’s personal conduct policy applies to Watson’s situation. The second paragraph of the paid leave section of the policy reads as follows: “when an investigation leads the Commissioner to believe that a player may have violated this Policy by committing any of the conduct identified above (relevant here is an act of sexual assault by force), he may act where the circumstances and evidence warrant doing so. This decision will not reflect a finding of guilt or innocence and will not be guided by the same legal standards and considerations that would apply in a criminal trial.”
Obviously, the language “may have violated” gives Goodell a great deal of discretion in deciding whether or not to place a player on the Commissioner’s Exempt list, and his decision will be guided in large part by PR considerations. Veteran NFL reporter John Clayton, writing for DenverFan.com, believes Watson may be suspended for a few games but will play in 2021, likening his situation to the sexual assault allegation that was levied against Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger in 2010 (Roethlisberger was ultimately suspended for four games despite no criminal charges being filed).
It would seem, however, that the two matters are very different. For starters, Watson is facing 22 accusers, not “just” one. Plus, by the time Roethlisberger’s suspension was announced, it had already been determined that he would not face criminal charges, and all of the relevant facts had already come to light. But Watson’s deposition is not scheduled until next February, depositions of the 22 plaintiffs cannot commence until September 13, and the criminal investigation is ongoing. So it seems that if the league takes any action between now and a resolution of the lawsuits, it will come in the form of placing Watson on the Commissioner’s Exempt list, not in the form of a suspension.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/21/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Antoine Wesley
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: TE Connor Davis
Houston Texans
- Waived: OL Cohl Cabral