Andre Johnson’s frustrations make sense, but not much will change

Andre Johnson was stuck on a losing team again last season, and the Texans did not pick a franchise quarterback in the draft. Instead, they will have another year of uncertainty at quarterback, and Johnson will again have to get used to a different person throwing him passes. He’s also going to be playing under a new coach again.

Can you blame him for being frustrated? He questioned if Houston was the right place for him at a charity event.

“Nobody’s been here as long as I have. You just kind of look at things; I’ve been thinking about things this offseason,” Johnson said to the Houston Chronicle. “And I just kind of wonder sometimes, ‘Is this still the place for me?’ ”

Johnson is the Houston Texans. The franchise started in 2002, and he was drafted in 2003. Johnson has been the team’s top receiver every year since then except for 2011, when his season was cut short by injury. He has been a key part of every bit of their success, but there hasn’t been much of it.

The NFL record books are full of great players who were stuck on mediocre — or worse — teams. Tony Gonzalez just retired (again) after trying one more time to win a Super Bowl. Dan Marino was one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history, but still retired without a ring. Barry Sanders’ skill was wasted on subpar Lions teams for his entire career.

The problem for Johnson is a trade is unlikely. His contract is huge, and would be tough for another team to take on. He has $34.5 million left on his deal, and is going to turn 33 this summer. What team would want to sign up for an aging receiver with a big price tag.

He has the right to be frustrated, but like many players stuck on bad teams in the past, there’s not much he can do about it.