DeAndre Hopkins not pledging long-term vow to Texans after holdout

HOUSTON – DeAndre Hopkins says he wasn’t trying to send the Houston Texans a message by staging a one-day holdout from training camp in pursuit of a new contract.

But when given the opportunity to pledge his allegiance to playing with the Texans for the foreseeable future, the fourth-year Pro Bowl wide receiver stopped short of doing so.

“I wasn’t trying to send a message or anything like that,” Hopkins said Monday, addressing reporters for the first time since his holdout. “I was doing what I felt was best for me and my family.”

When asked specifically how much of his goal is to be with the Texans for the long term, Hopkins said, “I really don’t have no thoughts on that. I can control what happens day to day, and that’s me coming out here and doing my job the best I can.”

The mixed messages came one day after Hopkins missed the team’s Sunday morning practice. Later Sunday, the Texans moved Hopkins from the reserve/did not report list back to the active roster.

Despite playing with several quarterbacks – and no elite passer – Hopkins has developed into one of the game’s rising talents at wide receiver. A first-round pick in 2013, he has amassed more than 1,200 receiving yards each of the past two seasons. In 2015, he had 1,521 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Hopkins is due $1 million in base salary in 2016. He is also slated to receive a $445,000 roster bonus later this week.

“I’ve just got to keep working,” Hopkins said. “I know it will come. I’m not rushing it. I know it will happen one day.”

When asked to elaborate, Hopkins said, “All I can do is go out there and play football and keep continuing to do what I’m doing and what I know I can do.”

Expectations are high for the Texans’ offense after they invested in their offense by signing quarterback Brock Osweiler and running back Lamar Miller. They also used a first-round pick on speedy Notre Dame receiver Will Fuller and a third rounder on Braxton Miller from Ohio State.

Texans coach Bill O'Brien said the team already saw the benefit of having its No. 1 receiver back on the field.

“Anytime you have the leader of that group out there,” O’Brien said, “no question it is important. … Anytime you have that presence it’s something very good for your team.”

Follow Eric Prisbell on Twitter @EricPrisbell.

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