Texans set free former first-round pick Johnson

Former first-round pick Kevin Johnson was released by the Houston Texans. Johnson battled concussions and ended last season on injured reserve due to a recurrence of head injuries. He played only 13 games the past two seasons and missed a total of 29 in four seasons.

Johnson played 35 games after entering the league as a first-round pick in 2015 out of Wake Forest. General manager Brian Gaine said at the NFL Scouting Combine the Texans have not seen Johnson's full potential due to injuries.

"Kevin has had some tough luck the last few years," Gaine said. "He's a former first-round pick, I was here when we drafted Kevin." The Texans have other key decisions to make in the secondary.

Safety Tyrann Mathieu is expected to reach free agency after a stellar season in 2018, his only year with the team, which ended in teammates naming him a captain. Mathieu signed a one-year, $7 million deal with Houston after being released by the Arizona Cardinals in a cap-related move. Cornerback Kareem Jackson, entering his 10th NFL season, is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent next week as well. Jackson turns 31 before the start of the 2019 regular season.