All Clemson

Deshaun Watson On Board With Texans Pursuing Antonio Brown

DeAndre Hopkins spent his first seven years in the NFL with the Houston Texans, the last three of those as Deshaun Watson's top target. Now that he's been traded to Arizona, the Texans need someone to step in and fill that void.

JP Priester

The Houston Texans have taken a fair amount of heat in recent months after trading wide receiver DeAndre "Nuk" Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for running back David Johnson, as well as second and fourth-round picks. 

After seven seasons with the Texans, the former Clemson wideout has developed into arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL. He was without question the favorite target of quarterback Deshaun Watson, turning in 1,000-yard and first-team All-Pro seasons in each of Watson's first three years in the league. 

"Deshaun's a warrior. Deshaun's a competitor. As long as he has a football in his hand, that's all he cares about. I know that personally from knowing him over the years. Man, Deshaun's an elite quarterback, the best quarterback I've had the chance to play with so far. He's able to make players better, and I'm pretty sure that's what he's gonna do. He's gonna rally his team up."- Hopkins told Jalen and Jacoby back in May.

Where do Watson and the Texans look to replace the production of Hopkins? Will Fuller has been solid playing a secondary role behind Hopkins over the past four seasons, but he is going to need help. 

The Texans went out and got Brandin Cooks and Randall Cobb to help fill that void left by Hopkins. Cooks has been on three different teams in his six years in the league but has still produced four 1,000-yard seasons. However, he is no Hopkins.

Cobb spent his first eight years playing a complementary role in Green Bay, where he had his only 1,000-yard season in 2014. Last season in Dallas, Cobb hauled in 55 catches for 828 yards, his most productive year since that 2014 season. 

If the Texans are still looking to acquire more talent, there is still a highly talented wide receiver available on the free-agent market. Former All-Pro wideout Antonio Brown has yet to be signed, and it is an option that Watson seems to be very open to. 

Former NFL receiver Chad Johnson recently tweeted that he was hoping the Texans would indeed bring Brown in, and Watson's response seemed to suggest it was something he could definitely get on board with. 

Since 2013 Brown has gone over the 1,200-yard mark in every season but one. He has topped 1,500 yards twice, and in 2013 he came up just one yard short. The only season he didn't top 1,200 yards was 2019, when he played just one game as a member of the Patriots.

His stay in New England was a short one though, as the Patriots cut the troubled wideout after just eleven days due to allegations of sexual assault. This coming after never playing a game for the Raiders, who acquired him in a 2019 offseason trade with Pittsburgh. 

Brown has kept himself in shape over the offseason in hopes that he would get another chance in 2020. Seattle is rumored to have some interest and Brown has recently been seen working out with Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. 

Whether the Texans have any real interest remains to be seen. Bringing Brown onboard would certainly provide Watson with another target the caliber of which he has become accustomed to playing with during his first three seasons in Houston. However, it would also come with obvious baggage. 

Published
JP Priester
JP PRIESTER

Jason Priester: Born and raised in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina. I have been covering Clemson Athletics for close to five years now and joined the Maven team in January.

Home/Football