The Facts: The chemistry experiment between Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler and Hopkins is starting to click. Although the true litmus test of the Texans' new passing connection will unfold this fall, Osweiler and Hopkins are building timing and a rapport. "Hop is a very unique wide receiver," Osweiler said. "You love to have on your side. With him, I don't know if there's really anything that's not catchable as long as you put it in bounds."
Diehards Line:
Indeed, Hopkins displayed a penchant for acrobatic, one-handed catches during his breakthrough season last year. At 6-1, 218 pounds with large hands and explosiveness working in his favor, Hopkins has a huge catch radius. And Osweiler is learning rapidly that he can deliver the football anywhere close to Hopkins and have a shot at completing his throws. "That's very comforting as a quarterback. He's always saying, 'Just throw it up, I'll go get it.'" Osweiler and Hopkins have spent a lot of extra time away from the Texans' practice field working on their craft. They held informal throwing sessions along with other skill players in Arizona that were organized by Osweiler and have also conducted other workouts in Houston. Because of the extra time spent with Osweiler, Hopkins is hoping to cut down on the learning curve. "It's just the timing and him knowing how we run our routes," Hopkins said. Hopkins caught a career-high 111 passes for 1,521 yards and 11 touchdowns last season.