March 09--Andre Johnson has spent all 12 of his NFL seasons with the Houston Texans.
Now he's a free agent.
According to multiple media reports, the Texans have released their all-time leading receiver a week after he asked to be traded or cut rather than accept a reduced role in the team's offense.
"I don't know how you tell a guy who catches 85 balls that he'll only probably catch 40," Johnson told the Houston Chronicle last week.
"I feel like the role they were trying to put me in I'd be held back from maximizing my talents. I feel like [asking for a trade] was the best thing for both sides."
Johnson was due to make more than $21 million over the remaining two years of his contract.
He was drafted third overall by Houston in 2003 and was the Texans' leading receiver in all but two seasons with the team. One of those years was 2014, although Johnson still had 85 catches for 936 yards and three touchdowns.
