Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins wants a big-money contract. His numbers this season aren’t going to make the quest any easier.
With 40 passes for 434 yards and three touchdowns through eight games, Hopkins isn’t having the kind of impact that will get him paid like an impact receiver. Part of the problem is that defenses are focusing on shutting him down.
“There’s a lot of different ways defensively,” Texans offensive coordinator George Godsey said, via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “Certainly, guys underneath and guys over the top. There’s also some one-on-one opportunities that when his number is called, he does a good job of coming through for us. Got to do a good job of finding him and then play that game with mixing and matching the calls.”
Part of the problem is first-year quarterback Brock Osweiler. As Wilson notes, seven of Osweiler’s nine interceptions have occurred when throwing the ball in Hopkins’ direction.
That can all change in the second half of the season, starting on Sunday at Jacksonville. What is his goal?
“Just being a complete player,” Hopkins said. “Not being one-dimensional, not just being known as a guy who lines up on the outside and only catches jump balls, but moving around and just being an expert at all parts of this offense, not just the outside position.”
Hopkins can’t do it alone. The offense needs to be designed to help him get open, and the ball needs to be thrown in his general vicinity when he is.
