texanfan2002114
Veteran
Just reported on fox 26 sports here in Houston. Mark Berman said the Steve McKinney just confirmed a new 4 year deal that will save the Texans cap space and terms were not disclosed.
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Steve McKinney signs new 4 year deal!!!!
- Thread starter texanfan2002114
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run-david-run
All Pro
Good news. Hopefully this means he will move to Guard, where he can have some positvie impact on the Line. The question now would be, who is gonna be our starting center next season?
Texans Pride
Veteran
Good find Steve, even if I do dislike the man!
mexican_texan
Furry Tractors
bdiddy said:
I could see that happen
beerlover
Hall of Fame
Mangold is blowing up the draft board with his size and nasty streak he is a late 1st rd. mover. Jets are trying to trade Abraham so they can get in front of the Texans to aquire him. I'm afraid Eslinger will get killed playing center in the NFL against these big NT/DT's. Mangold however can probably hold his own. He would also fit in very nice with McKinney & learn on a fast track 
TexansTrueFan
All Pro
i dont know if i like that to much, but its whatever.
MorKnolle
All Pro
bdiddy said:
I would much rather keep Wiegert over McKinney. He is a better OG and cutting McKinney would have saved more money so it wouldn't make much sense to keep McKinney and cut Wiegert, are you sure that it wasn't Wiegert that was resigned? I had heard he was willing to restructure and wanted to "retire in Houston" while last I heard McKinney didn't want to take a pay cut.
YoungTexanFan
All Pro
So we are stuck with him for another 4 years?
I was thinking at best he would just take a staright up pay cut and finish out his contract or be released outright.
This MUST be a joke. We can't expect to build our new offensive line with the weakest link from out last one. We are only as strong as our weakest link. Even with Fergueson, they will still go straight through McKinny's chest to Carr.
I was thinking at best he would just take a staright up pay cut and finish out his contract or be released outright.
This MUST be a joke. We can't expect to build our new offensive line with the weakest link from out last one. We are only as strong as our weakest link. Even with Fergueson, they will still go straight through McKinny's chest to Carr.
YoungTexanFan
All Pro
stevo3883 said:
Then why sign him long term? We should be incurring a large cap hit next year if we release him.
samomin
Waterboy
McKinney's play has been dissected on this board a lot so I won't mention it. What I'm interested in is his signal calling ability for the line. Is there a way to judge that from the information available to us? Is so, I'd like to hear your opions on this.
I'm wondering this because if we decide to play a rookie at center the coaches might still let Mckinney call the assigments on the line.
I'm wondering this because if we decide to play a rookie at center the coaches might still let Mckinney call the assigments on the line.
MorKnolle
All Pro
samomin said:
Good question, I'm not sure who the signal caller was on the OLine this year or who they'll depend on next year, I really doubt it would be any rookie that we bring in though, so probably McKinney or Wiegert if either of them is still around. I think McKinney did some this year, it seemed like he was trying to point out blitzers to watch and stuff like that, and usually some kind of miscommunication between him and either Milford Brown, Fred Weary, or whoever else we had at OG ensued and David Carr was quickly on his backside.
throwANDREtheBALL
Waterboy
If your a REAL fan of FOOTBALL, you know this is another crappy move by the Front Office.
Actually, its ridiculous how many of you think this is good news.
WAKE UP!
Actually, its ridiculous how many of you think this is good news.
WAKE UP!
bdiddy
Waterboy
MorKnolle said:
If I could have the Wiegart of two years ago I might agree with you. However, Weigart is a 11 year veteran with a LONG list of injuries. The fact remains McKinney is much younger and has played almost every down he has been with the Texans. McKinney (with his restructured deal) can help the Texans more than Wiegart at this point. Additionally, Wiegart's feet have slowed noticeably (may be a result of frequent injuries). Cutting Wiegart would save between $3-3.5 million.
To others who have concerns about Eslinger. Need I note that Tom Nalen weighs 285lbs. and is the prototype center for Kubiak's blocking scheme. Eslinger comes out of Minnesota, which runs the zone blocking scheme and has a history of producing quality lineman. Additionally, he has great feet which is an absolute must in this system. Must remember zone blocking is not about power but about angles, completely different style than traditional scheme. I think we can get Eslinger with the first pick in the 3rd round (that is a good value).
beerlover
Hall of Fame
bdiddy said:
good post & with Reggie Bush in fold I can understand it, hell maybe even live with it. However no way Greg can hold the point of attack in a passing situation against 340 lb elite professional nose tackles or 310 lb all pro DT's. the pocket will concave and believe me Carr will be in the fetal position more often than not and Kubiac's system is devised to run the ball then stretch the field vertically.
I'm not speaking for any particular mod here but this has been addressed with McKinney in the past @ the Center position. all I got to say is thank God he is going to LG
I really like the man personally, he is a very positive, hardworking individual who can teach alot to the younger linemen. This draft has just gotten alot more focused for one beerlover. The Texans need to draft a Center with the 1st pick of the 2nd rd. if Nick Mangold from the Ohio State is still on the board. All this talk centering around the #1 overall selection is too much, just go ahead and take Bush. Lets focus on the offensive line next and shore up the inside lanes to Carr, and maybe add some offensive weapons via free agency. After that....its all defense baby
Rumor has it that the Jets are trying to trade Abraham for the #15 pick from Atlanta so that they can get ahead of us to get Nick Mangold to replace Mawae.
This tells me 2 things. or..more specifically..this lends credence to 2 more rumors.
Rumor #1: Nick Mangold is flying up boards
Rumor #2: We are high on Nick Mangold
It is also rumored that I will post rumors on rumors that allude to rumors being rumored to rumor the rumor.
Anyway. With Drew Hodgdon..do we NEED another rookie center? Seems to me that we should be thinking more about signing a veteran center in FA (perhaps Mawae) to hold down the fort until Hodgdon is solidified as the starter.
This tells me 2 things. or..more specifically..this lends credence to 2 more rumors.
Rumor #1: Nick Mangold is flying up boards
Rumor #2: We are high on Nick Mangold
It is also rumored that I will post rumors on rumors that allude to rumors being rumored to rumor the rumor.
Anyway. With Drew Hodgdon..do we NEED another rookie center? Seems to me that we should be thinking more about signing a veteran center in FA (perhaps Mawae) to hold down the fort until Hodgdon is solidified as the starter.
beerlover
Hall of Fame
Grid said:
thats really strange yet quite funny Grid, so you tell me- You are OK with a 5th round, injured, stork legged looking, played only in limited action rookie to the #1 overall rated Center coming out of College when you know this is a dire need of the Texans that for the benifit of the Texans and David Carr needs to be addressed?
hah.. well I see it slightly different.
for one, when he was playing he looked pretty good for a rookie I thought.
for two, yah he was injured..and because of that you cant really say what ya have in him. He may come back from it and win the starting spot without any issues.
All im saying is that we have a rookie who didnt look half bad on our roster.. do we want to use a high pick on another center before we even know what we have?
Also.. 5th round for a center isnt the same as 5th round for a WR or RB or whatever... Centers usually start going around the 3rd round.. so 5th round is middle of the pack for them.
ALL that being said.. I wouldnt be against getting Mangold or Eslinger.... just to be doubley sure that we have talent on the line.
I just dont think its a foregone conclusion.
for one, when he was playing he looked pretty good for a rookie I thought.
for two, yah he was injured..and because of that you cant really say what ya have in him. He may come back from it and win the starting spot without any issues.
All im saying is that we have a rookie who didnt look half bad on our roster.. do we want to use a high pick on another center before we even know what we have?
Also.. 5th round for a center isnt the same as 5th round for a WR or RB or whatever... Centers usually start going around the 3rd round.. so 5th round is middle of the pack for them.
ALL that being said.. I wouldnt be against getting Mangold or Eslinger.... just to be doubley sure that we have talent on the line.
I just dont think its a foregone conclusion.
AustinJB
Rookie
Here's a link for a little more info on this contract restructure.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/3708424.html
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/3708424.html
AustinJB said:
Just a $2M bonus - sounds cuttable after this year. I can accept keeping him for a year as the team transitions. I wouldn't be surpried to see him come out of camp a back-up.
On the other hand, our running statisitics may indicate that McKinney is a good run blocker in the zone scheme:
http://www.houstontexans.com/fan_zone/messageboards/showthread.php?p=271607#post271607
McKinney was well aware of his cap number before this restructure and has said since mid-season last year that he would do 'whatever it takes,' i.e., pay cut/restructure, to stay here. I heard him say that more than once on his radio gig.
Freebirds and Velocity appear to be doing well so he can probably get by with a measly $2 million bonus.
Freebirds and Velocity appear to be doing well so he can probably get by with a measly $2 million bonus.
Texans Horror
All Pro
I think Sherman is setting up competitions. He has three capable tackles and three capable guards, depending on where you place Pitts. (T = Wade, Wand, Pitts; G = Weary, McKinney, Weigert)
That's six players to five spots, and I still think they will pick up a new center in Free Agency. So my gut is telling me that we are going to have a high-priced backup team. I still think the line will look something like this come September:
Wand - Pitts - ? - Weary - Wade
Another possibility is
Wand - McKinney - ? - Weary - Pitts
That center is the lodestone.
That's six players to five spots, and I still think they will pick up a new center in Free Agency. So my gut is telling me that we are going to have a high-priced backup team. I still think the line will look something like this come September:
Wand - Pitts - ? - Weary - Wade
Another possibility is
Wand - McKinney - ? - Weary - Pitts
That center is the lodestone.
oso said:
Good post. That is why I really want to get a strong, proven center in free agency like Bentley. I'd be willing to offer him more than other teams because he is worth more to us. Money talks.
If we don't acquire Bentley, I'd like to see us use our second round pick on a center to help us next year (if not this year).
"Three-fifths of the Texans' offensive line is now set (below). The right guard and right tackle positions will be filled by some combination of Todd Wade, Zach Wiegert and Milford Brown.
Center Drew Hodgdon, whose rookie year ended early with an broken foot.
Left guard Steve McKinney, the former Texas A&M lineman who is moving from center.
Left tackle Chester Pitts, who has started each of the Texans' 64 games.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/3708424.html
******************************************************
With the restructure for McKinney, maybe two-fifths of our OL is now set,
but three-fifths as McClain claims ? I don't think so. Even though Hodgdon looked good the short time he was in the lineup, he did have a season ending
injury and there has to be uncertainty surrounding his recovery and performance afterwards.
But even though McKinney is less talented than Weigert, being able to play
both guard and center makes him more versatile and he is far, far more
durable than the injury-prone Weigert.
Center Drew Hodgdon, whose rookie year ended early with an broken foot.
Left guard Steve McKinney, the former Texas A&M lineman who is moving from center.
Left tackle Chester Pitts, who has started each of the Texans' 64 games.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/3708424.html
******************************************************
With the restructure for McKinney, maybe two-fifths of our OL is now set,
but three-fifths as McClain claims ? I don't think so. Even though Hodgdon looked good the short time he was in the lineup, he did have a season ending
injury and there has to be uncertainty surrounding his recovery and performance afterwards.
But even though McKinney is less talented than Weigert, being able to play
both guard and center makes him more versatile and he is far, far more
durable than the injury-prone Weigert.
W
whiskeyrbl
Guest
Hey guys don't forget Maewae a 5 time pro bowl center from the Jets is available,so if we could land him,we could draft Eslinger in the 3rd rd and let him bulk up a couple of years before throwing him to the wolves.
Kaiser Toro
Native Mod
Hulk75 said:
Agreed. I have been on Carr more so than McKinney the last couple of years and they share the blame in my opinion of bad recognition or signal calling at the LOS. I cannot fathom leaving them both in the same position and expect different results. There are many here who have spoken about McKinney being a better G than C and I hope like heck we see him at G.
My only concern now is possibly bringing in a center that will be a Rookie or a second year pro with only a couple of games under his belt. This also does not look like a viable option. I really like Mangold and if there is one guy who looks like he can make the transition from college to a grizzled rookie it would be him.
No matter how you skin this one, it was win for the Texans in my opinion. More cap to play with and a veteran retained who can play multiple positions on the line that wants to be here.
MorKnolle
All Pro
bdiddy said:
I'm going to respectfully disagree on McKinney and Wiegert. Wiegert was serviceable at RT for us at the end of the year, and was a solid OG still. McKinney was a terrible C and a decent OG, pretty good at run blocking but still lousy at pass blocking. Wiegert isn't quite what he used to be but I think he's a better OG than McKinney. McKinney would have saved $3.9 million to cut straight-up, and last I had heard he didn't want to restructure a deal (I still haven't seen anything official about us resigning him) so I was really hoping he'd go, meanwhile Wiegert had said he was willing to restructure and wanted to retire in Houston. I don't think McKinney is really worth keeping on our team at all, and I think we could have really used that $3.9 million added space from just cutting McKinney to go after other quality free agents or make up for an extra cap hit for cutting Gary Walker and/or Todd Wade. As I said before, I still haven't seen anything official about McKinney staying (if anyone has a link please post it), and I'm hoping that between the two of them they meant Wiegert restructured.
*Edit - I hadn't read the rest of the posts so now I see the link for McKinney.
oso said:
Wand will not play LT over Pitts
whiskeyrbl said:Hey guys don't forget Maewae a 5 time pro bowl center from the Jets is available,so if we could land him,we could draft Eslinger in the 3rd rd and let him bulk up a couple of years before throwing him to the wolves.
Mawae was hurt most of last year and is 35 years old, doesn't make much sense for us to sign him.
Kaiser Toro
Native Mod
Coach C.
Veteran
Mork it seems that McKinney has decided to restructure his deal and we will save a decent portion, but not the full 3.9M. Changes things some, but he is a decent LG that can excel at the ZB scheme. Weigert and Wade now have to be on the clock for restructuring. Weigert has said that he would like to restructure and retire a Texan, not sure how the Wade discussions will go. I do agree that Weigert was the better player last year, but if we "win the battles up front" we will be able to part ways with either of them.
You can't win every down........ You're going to get beat every now and then... there is a lot of talent on the otherside of the ball too. This being said, personally I don't know how bad our line is....... For the most part, they looked more confused, than inept.... or overpowered. I think our biggest problem on the line has been coaching, more so than personnel... They just didn't look ready, or like they knew what they were doing.
That's one of the reasons, I have been more open to the idea of picking OL talent in the late 1st, early 2nd. I do want to trade down, because it seems every year we have to play our talent out of position due to some injury... My idea of fixing the OLine, is getting a real starting Center...... Bently/Mawae... and a real LT.... I don't think we need D'Brick, but I wouldn't complain if we do end up getting him.
I thought we would be thinking along the lines of Pitts @ LT...... Drafting a true LT (This is where I wanted to use #33) that would get substantial playing time, rotating with Pitts...
So I was thinking
Pitts------Mckinney------Mawae------Weary-----Wand
Rookie----Brown---------Hogdon------Walter-----Rookie
Where our Rookies would Rotate Heavily, unless they straight up win the starting spots.... But with the money we are paying our boys, they really need to start. With McKinney restructuring, If we do want to start our #33 pick @ LT, we can move Pitts to Left Gaurd, Keep that Rotation going 3 man deep, in case we have to move Pitts back to LT...
Like I said, I appreciate a good OL, but I have no idea who is playing well, and who isn't.... Larry Allen made the ProBowl, and I didn't see that coming.... so... But it's been my impression, our problem has been coaching, and depth..... It is very possible, I am wayyyy wrong.
That's one of the reasons, I have been more open to the idea of picking OL talent in the late 1st, early 2nd. I do want to trade down, because it seems every year we have to play our talent out of position due to some injury... My idea of fixing the OLine, is getting a real starting Center...... Bently/Mawae... and a real LT.... I don't think we need D'Brick, but I wouldn't complain if we do end up getting him.
I thought we would be thinking along the lines of Pitts @ LT...... Drafting a true LT (This is where I wanted to use #33) that would get substantial playing time, rotating with Pitts...
So I was thinking
Pitts------Mckinney------Mawae------Weary-----Wand
Rookie----Brown---------Hogdon------Walter-----Rookie
Where our Rookies would Rotate Heavily, unless they straight up win the starting spots.... But with the money we are paying our boys, they really need to start. With McKinney restructuring, If we do want to start our #33 pick @ LT, we can move Pitts to Left Gaurd, Keep that Rotation going 3 man deep, in case we have to move Pitts back to LT...
Like I said, I appreciate a good OL, but I have no idea who is playing well, and who isn't.... Larry Allen made the ProBowl, and I didn't see that coming.... so... But it's been my impression, our problem has been coaching, and depth..... It is very possible, I am wayyyy wrong.
TexanBacker93
Veteran
throwANDREtheBALL said:
Being in Canada, I'm sure you see a lot of REAL FOOTBALL.
This is good for the team because rather than cost the team $4.7 million this year, McKinney costs the team $2.5 million. Cutting him would have resulted in paying him $850k, and the team would still have needed to get more bodies. He played guard at A&M under Mike Sherman. He started at LG for the Colts before coming here. He's a Guard. It was another instance of Capers and co. putting triangular pegs in oval holes. He's a better guard than what we have on the roster now and the team has enough other areas of concern that spending a little under a million of the cap to dump a guy that can play for the team is stupid. There are 2 free agent guards that would be upgrades and neither is coming to Houston.
Vinny
shiny happy fan
McKinney had his best games last year when he moved to Guard. We could sign a FA Center or we draft a young Center since I don't think they will simply roll into camp thinking Hodgdon is their clear man in the middle. It will be a plus to have a veteran ex-center at LG bringing our new young Center along as he learns the league.
bckey
All Pro
This bb cracks me up. You guys have dogged out McKinney (me included) for the last couple of seasons and now because Kubiak likes him and resigns him it's a great deal. Everybody is happy. I know he plays guard better than center but the fact is he has been a lousy olineman for the Texans. I hope he can get his career turned around under Kubiak but the fact is he has been pretty lousy up to this point.
bckey said:
Put Pitts at center, & I'll dog him too. But D'Brick at Center, and he won't have many fans here. Play these same guys where they are good, and you'll get Kudos..... that's the way the worl works.
Texans Horror
All Pro
bckey said:
I've never cared for McKinney. I see him backing up Weary/Wade/Pitts, depending on how the Texans go with that. With his restructured deal costing only 2.5 million, he is does not seem like an overly-priced veteran. I do think Sherman probably likes him and that he is meant to bring in leadership.
The key still lies in the center, and I'm not sure that throwing a near-rookie in as center is the best option. IMO, Center and LT are where you want solid veterans. Center seems a position where they will concentrate in FA.
I still like Wand at LT and think he will be there. He is a fast lineman and will work well under the new coaching system.
I know a lot of people want to see four or five new names at the line, but I think the Texans are going to let coaching fix the problems they had last year.
edo783
Hall of Fame
bckey said:
There is NO doubt he has been a lousy center, but he has been an above average LG. As long as he plays LG, I have no issue with this. If he plays center, then I have a lot of issues with it. Don't really care for the guy as I think he is full of himself, but I think he can help the team at LG.