2016 Houston Texans Training Camp Recap: Day Two

DeAndre Hopkins' holdout ended as quickly as it began, and he definitely did not want to discuss it with the media today, as you can see in his post-practice media session here. The Texans' star receiver deflected the majority of questions regarding his contract situation, and claimed that he "wasn't trying to send a message" when he skipped out on the first day of training camp. When pushed, Hopkins stated that his agent deals with the front office and repeated that all he can do is "...go out there and play football." After returning to camp today, Hopkins is eligible to collect his $445,000.00 roster bonus.

The veteran wide receiver seemed much more interested in discussing practice. Hop was clearly excited to be back, despite whatever contractual disagreements are happening behind the scenes. He talked about the talent in the group of wide receivers that the Texans are developing and seemed genuinely happy with the level of competition, as well as his progressions with QB Brock Osweiler.

Bill O'Brien was grateful to have Hopkins back for training camp as well, commenting on the importance of having the receiving leader on the field to help the younger players. O'Brien said that day two was "crisper" than the first practice, and that there had been significant improvements on both sides of the football.

Much of the media attention following the second day of camp rested on the defense. O'Brien said that he considers Derek Newton's injury day-to-day. O'Brien also fielded questions about 2015 first-round pick Kevin Johnson, whom he commended for his work ethic, maturity, and energy level on the field. Johnson will look to have a bigger impact on Houston's defense as he enters his second season.

The Texans' head coach also said that expectations were high for Jadeveon Clowney this year. He discussed Clowney's versatility, complimenting his intelligence and instinct in meetings. O'Brien spoke highly of Clowney's past contributions and of his explosive playmaking abilities on the field.

The first overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft addressed his own injury issues head-on, quipping that "staying on the field" would be his biggest step forward this season (no exaggeration there). He set a goal of playing all 16 games this season, but perhaps most importantly, Clowney said that he feels healthy and more comfortable than in seasons past.

If you've got any thoughts, links, or notes of your own after the second day of training camp, share them below.