Bill O'Brien Says DeAndre Hopkins Was a 'Great Player' for Texans Before Trade

Houston Texans head coach Bill O'Brien praised wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins for his contributions across seven years with the organization before getting traded to the Arizona Cardinals in March.

"I will tell you that DeAndre Hopkins was a great player in Houston and made a ton of plays for us," O'Brien, who also serves as the Texans' general manager, told reporters Thursday.

O'Brien received criticism for the trade, which saw the Texans receive running back David Johnson, a 2020 second-round pick and a 2021 fourth-round pick for Hopkins and a 2020 fourth-round pick.

Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reported "friction existed" between the All-Pro receiver and the Texans' head coach, which played a role in the blockbuster move.

Hopkins responded to rumors about his relationship with O'Brien on Twitter after the deal:

Johnson was a Pro Bowl selection in 2016, but he missed most of 2017 with a wrist injury and his production has lagged with a per-carry average below four yards each of the last two seasons.

In turn, the optics of trading a 27-year-old wideout coming off a 104-catch season in exchange for a 28-year-old running back with that recent history aren't ideal for the Texans, even when factoring in the second-round selection in this year's draft.

It also wasn't a significant financial coup for Houston as Johnson ($11.1 million cap hit in 2020) only represented a small saving over Hopkins ($12.5 million).

The critiques will probably fade if Johnson returns to form and the Texans make the playoffs out of the wide-open AFC South next season.

O'Brien could find himself on the hot seat if the trade backfires, though.