Andre Johnson embracing more vocal role

In jest, he referred to himself as "the old vet," but the tag does fit. This is Andre Johnson's ninth training camp, all with the Texans. Among teammates, only Neil Rackers (11 seasons), Damione Lewis (10) and Brad Maynard (14) have been in the NFL longer, while fellow wide receiver Kevin Walter and guard Wade Smith have stuck just as long.

One of Johnson's discoveries is that the nicks not only last longer now but they also occur more frequently than before. On Tuesday, he dislocated his left index finger during a one-on-one drill with rookie Roc Carmichael, but the injury isn't major.

It won't linger into the regular season, during which Johnson — at 30 and after a nearly decade-long playoff drought — insists he's maintaining a singular focus.

"There's nothing else," Johnson said. "I've been All-Pro, been to Pro Bowls and had 1,500-yard seasons. All it's about now is winning Super Bowls. That's the reason why I play. That's my goal.

"I'm going to do everything to help this organization get there."

This is a serious matter because Johnson, beyond his excellence on Sundays, is noted for his silence. He is quiet by nature, not loud with anything besides his statistics. He is not a self-promoter, which makes sense because he's arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL — and aren't actions supposed to speak louder than words?

Has anyone adhered to that axiom/cliché more than Johnson? Well, not anymore. He's speaking up. Johnson revealed Sunday he chatted with free-agent acquisition Johnathan Joseph in the offseason at a wedding for Fred Bennett, a former Texan and South Carolina alumnus (like Joseph).

"He just told me what a great organization it was here and how much I would like it here, the city and fans and that's what you want to be part of in this league," Joseph said.

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(chron.com)