Wide receiver Andre Johnson was the No. 1 man in the Texans passing attack throughout his 12 years in Houston, but saw his production drop sharply with the Colts last year.
His first two preseason outings with the Titans haven’t given much reason to believe that things are going to be different in 2016. Johnson had two catches on 11 snaps in the opener and didn’t get a ball his way on 15 snaps in the second game of the summer, which puts him behind most of the other receivers on the team in terms of targets.
It doesn’t look like that’s a reflection on how the Titans think about him as coach Mike Mularkey says Johnson “doesn’t have to do anything more for me to know he can play.” For his part, Johnson says the new role is one that suits him just fine.
“You have to just get used to it, the nature of the beast,” Johnson said, via the Tennessean. “There was a point in time that I was the number one guy. But as your career goes on, things change. I don’t feel weird about it. I just embrace it. It’s a challenge.”
Cutting Johnson wouldn’t cost the Titans anything, but his arrival in Tennessee feels like it is about more than what he will give the team on the field. With a young quarterback running an offense with plenty of other rising players, it’s likely the Titans feel Johnson’s experience and guidance provide value beyond the field that will be worth a lot even if his stats remain modest.