Report: Mutual interest between Colts and Andre Johnson (merge)

[krunk]

I'd be for signing Johnson, he caught 85 passes last year for 936 yards, as a #2 receiver with a garbage QB. That's great production for a 33 year old, and with a huge upgrade at the QB position along with the change of scenery, it could be a pretty decent match. Plus, at 6'3" he'd provide a nice big red zone target, and be able to win some 1-on-1 matchups.

 

Not only a garbage QB, but on a team that ran the football a lot.  Guy can still play, he's not as old as Reggie.

[Valpo2004]

6 or 7 is still too much

 

Not really.  

 

Pats gave Danny Amendola 5.7 M per year average and 8 M guaranteed and he never broke 700 yards in a season and never had more then 3 TD's in a season.

 

Golden Tate got 6.2 million from the Lions and had not at that point broke 900 yards

 

Roddy White at about the same age signed an extension just last year giving him 6M average.  The season prior to that extension he only had 711 yards and 3 TD's.

 

There is good reason to conclude that 6 to 7 Mil per year for Andre Johnson is about the going market for a player of his age/caliber.

[ColtsLegacy]

I dont get it

That makes it so much better. It's the cast of a movie from the mid-90s titled "Clueless".

[Dustin]

We don't need him to come in and dominate. We need him to effectively work the short-routes and intermediate parts of the field and haul in tough passes in traffic. I would much rather have Marshall, but I wouldn't be disappointing in this signing. 

[ColtsLegacy]

We don't need him to come in and dominate. We need him to effectively work the short-routes and intermediate parts of the field and haul in tough passes in traffic. I would much rather have Marshall, but I wouldn't be disappointing in this signing.

Exactly, Luck needs that reliable safety net who can consistently make the tough catch.

[lollygagger8]

[NewColtsFan]

I wouldn't think a trade to get Johnson....

 

Though we do have an extra #6.    And that's what SF paid a few years ago to get the big WR from Baltimore...  (whose name suddenly escapes me?)

 

Otherwise, wait until he's cut and then sign.

 

As to a contract....   I'm thinking 2 years and 10-12 Mill total.

[mattceinicram]

So many rumours. Can't wait for March 10. At least 1 of them has to be true

[mattceinicram]

double post

[antipatriot]

I agree with many here it depends on the contract but if we gave Nicks I think between 3 and 4 Mil Andre is still worth 6 a year. I read somewhere today that if the Texans cant trade him he will be released I think this is a wait and see I wouldnt want to give up much in picks.  However I do agree with the person who said he is still productive because with a poor QB situation last season he still put up 85 receptions 936 yds and 3 TD's thats not bad. 

[HtownColt]

One year deal wherever he goes

[Superman]

I wouldn't think a trade to get Johnson....

 

Though we do have an extra #6.    And that's what SF paid a few years ago to get the big WR from Baltimore...  (whose name suddenly escapes me?)

 

Otherwise, wait until he's cut and then sign.

 

As to a contract....   I'm thinking 2 years and 10-12 Mill total.

 

Anquan Boldin.

[peytonmanning18]

I hope we do this for no other reason than to stick it to the Texans.  It would be sweet for the greatest Texan in their short history to finish his career with the their division rivals who owns them.

[DougDew]

I'd be dissappointed if Grigs started using the salary cap dollars to sign a 34 WR at 6 to 7 mill per year.  Very dissappointed actually.

 

Nicks was 26 and signed for $4m?, and that was based upon him having good years in the past too.  I'd take Johnson at maybe $4.5m to $5.75m per year for 3 years, only the first year guaranteed.

[SteelDragon]

Sounds like a publicity stunt for Andre's leverage in negotiating with the Texans! How interested are the Colts in giving a nice contract to an aging receiver? I would target Brandon Marshall in a minor trade before I brought in a player who's body is going to start breaking down.

There are younger WR FAs that can be had. Every player that can catch a football wants to play with A Luck! Be choosey!

[Bravo]

Sounds like a publicity stunt for Andre's leverage in negotiating with the Texans! How interested are the Colts in giving a nice contract to an aging receiver? I would target Brandon Marshall in a minor trade before I brought in a player who's body is going to start breaking down.

There are younger WR FAs that can be had. Every player that can catch a football wants to play with A Luck! Be choosey!

I'm pretty sure Andre is just done with the Texans. He has been fighting back and forth with them for a year or so now. Maybe leverage for other teams to sign him but not the Texans.

[NewColtsFan]

Anquan Boldin.

 

I could see him in my mind....  I knew he went to Florida State....   and I just drew a blank on the name.

 

Thanks.

[RockThatBlue]

What's up with all these people acting like AJ sucks?

He had nearly 1000 yards last year with 3-4 different qbs throwing him the ball.

[esmort]

If he is released and will come for 6 or less I would be open to it ... if Reggie comes back I think we have a good shot at getting AJ in here at a discount price. 

[thecorn4]

I can go either way with this.  For the right money he would be an upgrade, his age does scare me.  Understand, in 12yrs. he has only been to the playoffs 2 times.  Would he play for less money for a chance at a deep playoff run, or is it all about the money and who pays up.  He lost 3 fumbles this past year, 6 in the past 11yrs.  Is that a sign of things to come, or just a freak thing?  I don't know.

 

I think there might be some options out there that would be as good if not better.  For one, Marshall if he gets released.

[peytonmanning18]

Sounds like a publicity stunt for Andre's leverage in negotiating with the Texans! How interested are the Colts in giving a nice contract to an aging receiver? I would target Brandon Marshall in a minor trade before I brought in a player who's body is going to start breaking down.

There are younger WR FAs that can be had. Every player that can catch a football wants to play with A Luck! Be choosey!

The Texans owe him $10,000,000 next year, they told him he was going to have a reduced role. He wants to play with a real quarterback.

[peytonmanning18]

What's up with all these people acting like AJ sucks?

He had nearly 1000 yards last year with 3-4 different qbs throwing him the ball.

Exactly, he caught 85 balls, more than any Colts' receiver. He's not the top tier receiver he once was but I believe he can still be a major contributor to a good team with a good quarterback.

[masterlock]

With all the needs on defense, I would not be in favor of anything other than a low-ball contract for AJ.

[jvan1973]

Except it was a new QB, new coach, new coordinator, and new system. Other than that you're right, no adjustments.

[krunk]

Johnson told the Houston Chronicle on Monday that coach Bill O'Brien sat him down last week to say that he shouldn't expect to catch more than about 40 passes in 2015.

 

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"I just laughed," said Johnson, the team's all-time leading receiver. "They gave me my role, and I just laughed at them. How do you tell a guy who is used to catching 80 balls a year that he was going to catch 40?"

O'Brien wasn't finished, informing Johnson that he wouldn't even start next season alongside DeAndre Hopkins.

"I was floored," Johnson said. "I don't feel like there is a guy on that team that can outplay me or outwork me. I mean, who am I going to play behind?

"So I was real honest with him: 'If that's your role for me, you're going to be dealing with a miserable football player.'"

Johnson's agent, Kennard McGuire, told a Houston radio station that only when "certain things were expressed" by the team, did talk bubble up about Johnson seeking a trade or his release.

While it wasn't a shock to see the Texans balk at paying Johnson, 33, more than $20 million over the next two seasons, their handling of the matter was shabby. Especially considering how weak the receiver position is behind Hopkins and his one-time mentor

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000476093/article/andre-johnson-laughed-at-not-starting-for-texans

[pgt_rob]

Time for Grigson to sign him and let Andre have sweet revenge on his old team.

[DougDew]

I don't think that Coach O'Brien is stupid.  In fact, just the opposite. 

 

Saying that Johnson will have a "reduced role" tells me that the coach may not be all that confident in his abilities any more.  Sure, nobody wants to pay $10mill per year if you don't have to, but if Johnson was skilled enough to command, say, $7-$8m, Houston would have no problem overpaying him a couple of million for a few years, IMO.

 

Why go through the risks of cutting what you think is a productive receiver over 2- 3 mill.

 

I'm thinking O'Brien feels that Johnson's skills are worth about $4-5m/year, which is why they want to get out from under his contract.

 

I'd be leary.

[krunk]

I don't think that Coach O'Brien is stupid.  In fact, just the opposite. 

 

Saying that Johnson will have a "reduced role" tells me that the coach may not be all that confident in his abilities any more.  Sure, nobody wants to pay $10mill per year if you don't have to, but if Johnson was skilled enough to command, say, $7-$8m, Houston would have no problem overpaying him a couple of million for a few years, IMO.

 

Why go through the risks of cutting what you think is a productive receiver over 2- 3 mill.

 

I'm thinking O'Brien feels that Johnson's skills are worth about $4-5m/year, which is why they want to get out from under his contract.

 

I'd be leary.

 

 

Did Bill figure this(Johnson being washed up) out after A. Johnsons nearly 1000 yards in receiving on 85 catches?

[DougDew]

Did Bill figure this(Johnson being washed up) out after A. Johnsons nearly 1000 yards in receiving on 85 catches?

Why would the coach want him to have a reduced role?  Apparently, there another guy besides Hopkins that's going to get more PT than Johnson.  I'm not sure who the young stud is that the coach wants to have an increased role at Johnson's expense.

[krunk]

Why would the coach want him to have a reduced role?  Apparently, there another guy besides Hopkins that's going to get more PT than Johnson.  I'm not sure who the young stud is that the coach wants to have an increased role at Johnson's expense.

 

When teams decide they want to fill the team with youth they do things like that. 

I do think it was age and salary based, but not necessarily that he could not play well. 

 

I'm expecting then to draft a couple of WR in the draft, and probably bring in a cheaper

veteran.

[achcolts]

YES!!!!!

[ColtsBlueFL]

2 year 8 mil. anything else and no way

 

 

then no. hes 34 and on the decline

 With you as GM and that offer, that's shortest mutual interest in history.

 

AJ is 33, when Reggie Wayne was 33, we signed him to a 3 year / $17,500,000 contract including a $6,500,000 signing bonus, $7,500,000 guaranteed, and an annual average salary of $5,833,333.  AJ is worth that as well. At least worth 2 years, 7 mil per year if we can't go 3; IMHO.

 

Anyway, CBS reports 3 teams willing to pay 10 mil / yr ... and Colts are one of them. 

 

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25091684/report-3-teams-willing-to-pay-andre-johnson-10-million-in-2015

 

 

And we won't trade, but he'll get cut-

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12411316/andre-johnson-houston-texans-given-permission-seek-trade

[ColtsBlueFL]

you wanna give 6-7 million dollars to an aging wr who is gonna be around a max of 2 years

 

We gave about that same amount to Reggie Wayne when he was AJ's age, but for three years. What's the big deal for a player of Wayne's and now potentially Johnson's caliber?

[DougDew]

 With you as GM and that offer, that's shortest mutual interest in history.

 

AJ is 33, when Reggie Wayne was 33, we signed him to a 3 year / $17,500,000 contract including a $6,500,000 signing bonus, $7,500,000 guaranteed, and an annual average salary of $5,833,333.  AJ is worth that as well. At least worth 2 years, 7 mil per year if we can't go 3; IMHO.

 

Anyway, CBS reports 3 teams willing to pay 10 mil / yr ... and Colts are one of them. 

 

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25091684/report-3-teams-willing-to-pay-andre-johnson-10-million-in-2015

 

 

And we won't trade, but he'll get cut-

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12411316/andre-johnson-houston-texans-given-permission-seek-trade

Reggie was part of the community and had extra value to remain a Colt in a period of transition.  And his body still broke down.  He wasn't told by his coach that he would have a reduced role.   $10 mill a year for Johnson is a horrible idea.

 

I think agents slide info to the media and the two serve to inflate numbers and generate hype, for their mutual benefit.

[Luck_Is_Skilled]

Reggie was part of the community and had extra value to remain a Colt in a period of transition.  And his body still broke down.  He wasn't told by his coach that he would have a reduced role.   $10 mill a year for Johnson is a horrible idea.

 

I think agents slide info to the media and the two serve to inflate numbers and generate hype, for their mutual benefit.

 

I repeat, Reggie Wayne's body did not break down. He suffered a freak injury, there is a difference. As for community, there is a 100% guarantee that Reggie and AJ are extremely close friends and AJ would fit in better than any of the prior WR's Grigs brought in. He'd be embraced as a Colt almost exclusively by the organization, the local and national media and another Colt legend, Edge. 

[Superman]

I think agents slide info to the media and the two serve to inflate numbers and generate hype, for their mutual benefit.

 

Obviously.

 

That aside, rest assured that the Colts aren't going to pay Andre Johnson anywhere near $10m/year. If they were to bring him in, it probably wouldn't be anymore than $6m/year.

[ColtStronger]

I would much rather just resign Nicks.  Reggie is old and so is AJ... Just hang em up boys!  It's a young mans game.

[ColtsBlueFL]

Reggie was part of the community and had extra value to remain a Colt in a period of transition.  And his body still broke down.  He wasn't told by his coach that he would have a reduced role.   $10 mill a year for Johnson is a horrible idea.

 

I think agents slide info to the media and the two serve to inflate numbers and generate hype, for their mutual benefit.

 

Yep, there's Andrew saying, OH No, Reggie's body broke down!! 

 

 

2 years for 11-12 million for AJ is a very good deal.  Some other team will outbid us though.  Now, will AJ want to play with Luck and go for SB? Or get the last vestiges of a decent $$ contract and another losing year?

[Superman]

I would much rather just resign Nicks.  Reggie is old and so is AJ... Just hang em up boys!  It's a young mans game.

 

AJ produced twice as much as Nicks, at 6+ years older. I wouldn't sink a bunch of money in him, but I think he'd be better than Nicks.

[Superman]

Yep, there's Andrew saying, OH No, Reggie's body broke down!!