The Houston Texans officially placed Benardrick McKinney on the Injured Reserve list on Tuesday following a season-ending shoulder injury. The Texans Pro Bowl inside linebacker did not play in Week 5 against Jacksonville after being limited in practice last week. In a corresponding roster move, Houston signed inside linebacker Kyle Emanuel (6-3, 250), a fifth-year veteran out of North Dakota State, from the Las Vegas Raiders' practice squad to the active Texans' active roster.
"Well, we'll have to wait to see what the medical people say today because they will evaluate him again today," interim head coach Romeo Crennel said Monday. "They will let us know what the prospects are. Hopefully, he'll be able to come back. The guys who stepped in yesterday, T.A. (Tyrell Adams), he stepped in and made some plays. So, that's the name of this business, the next guy up. We tell them that all the time that they have to be ready when their number is called and yesterday the guys whose numbers were called, they performed well."
Signed as a free agent in 2018, Adams contributed mostly on special teams until Sunday's 30-14 win against the Jaguars. Filling in for McKinney, Adams led the team with 13 total tackles (seven solo), one fumble recovery and his first career tackle for loss in just his third NFL start. Adams is in his fifth NFL season after stints with Seattle, Kansas City, Oakland, Buffalo, Indianapolis and San Francisco.
McKinney, named a team captain for the 2020 season, has missed just five games in his six-year NFL career. After his Week 2 performance against Baltimore, McKinney became the third-fastest player in franchise history to reach 500 total tackles after he recorded 10 total tackles (three solo) and one pass defensed. In his four starts this season, McKinney tallied 38 total tackles (21 solo), one tackle for loss and one pass defensed.
