Bob McNair says he wants to sign DeAndre Hopkins to extension

HOUSTON -- Texans owner Bob McNair said Wednesday that he wants to sign wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to a contract extension.

Hopkins, who just finished his fourth NFL season, has one more year on his rookie contract after Houston exercised its fifth-year option last offseason. Previously, the Texans had extended each of their first-round picks drafted under the current collective bargaining agreement before or during the fourth year of their deals.

McNair said Hopkins is a good young player, and the kind of player the Texans want to keep around.

"Certainly we're going to work on that and see if we can get that taken care of," McNair said. "It's certainly our intention."

On Wednesday, Hopkins said he is leaving discussion of his contract extension to his agent and the Texans. Last summer, he told ESPN that he just wants to be paid what he's worth.

Hopkins finished the regular season with 78 catches for 954 yards and four touchdowns. He had only two regular-season games with more than 100 receiving yards, and he did not have any multiple-touchdown games. In early December, he claimed he was not concerned about how his numbers would affect a new deal, saying he would think about his contract situation after the season was over.

Quarterback Brock Osweiler and Hopkins were unable to connect as often as the Texans had hoped because the quarterback struggled to throw downfield during his first season in Houston. Osweiler completed just 26 percent of passes 15 or more yards down the field during the regular season and playoffs, and 11 of Osweiler's 19 interceptions on the season came when Osweiler was targeting Hopkins. The season total is the most by any quarterback to a single receiver in 2016, per ESPN Stats & Information.

"We know we left some things out there. Could have done better, but that's why you have the offseason," Hopkins said. "I'll look at film in a couple weeks and see what I need to work on but right now I'm just letting my body rest."

Asked about Hopkins' contract extension Thursday, general manager Rick Smith said the Texans prioritize trying to keep their best players.

"I think if you look at our football team, you see that we spend a lot of time and effort in the draft," Smith said. "We try to make good decisions, and when we've got good football players, we do our best to extend those guys and keep them apart of our core football team."