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Benardrick McKinney's leadership expected to step up

For a relatively young franchise, the Houston Texans have a long history of having a great leader at linebacker.
Credit: Kevin Jairaj
Oct 15, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans inside linebacker Benardrick McKinney (55) reacts after the gamer against the Cleveland Browns at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

For a relatively young franchise, the Houston Texans have a long history of having a great leader at linebacker. Starting with Jamie Sharper, followed by Demeco Ryans and then Brian Cushing, Houston has always had a bedrock leadership presence in the middle of the Texans linebacking corps.

With Cushing now gone, Benardrick McKinney is the next in line. Texans GM Brian Gaine strongly believes McKinney is ready to fill the void.

“He’s the guy that now leads the huddle, and that’s a big hole to fill with Brian Cushing gone,” Gaine told reporters at the Texans charity golf outing. “We’re expecting big things from a leadership standpoint.”

McKinney is entering his fourth season in Houston and has started every game the last two years. He led the Texans with 95 combined tackles in 2017 while also adding three sacks. The Mississippi State product also led the Texans with 129 tackles in 2016, with five of those as sacks.

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