Yahoo Finance Report: Texans trading LB Benardrick McKinney to Dolphins for LB Shaq Lawson
The Houston Texans and Miami Dolphins are reportedly doing a linebacker exchange.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Texans are trading linebacker Benardrick McKinney to the Dolphins, and the Dolphins are sending linebacker Shaq Lawson to Houston. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the trade will also include some late-round picks.
Sources: The #Texans are trading Pro Bowl LB Benardrick McKinney to the #Dolphins for Shaq Lawson.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 14, 2021
Houston and Miami have a deal: Texans are trading LB Benardrick McKinney to the Dolphins for LB Shaq Lawson, per league sources. The deal also will include a swap of late-round picks, but the focus is the LBs.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 14, 2021
McKinney, 28, had a rough 2020. He played in just the first four games, then needed surgery to repair an injured shoulder and missed the rest of the season. He appears to be the instigator in this trade. Rapoport reported that the Texans gave him permission to seek a trade several days ago.
McKinney has been with the Texans since they drafted him in 2015, and is the latest longtime player to make his way off of the team.
The Texans aren't exactly downgrading with Lawson. At 26, he's two years younger than McKinney, and while he's never been a starter, he's notched 18 QB hits for two straight seasons. This is already an upgrade for the Texans.
New Texans edge rusher Shaq Lawson had a pressure rate of 11.5% last season with the Dolphins. That would've ranked 1st on the Texans.
— Aaron Reiss (@aaronjreiss) March 14, 2021
With the cap foremost in everyone's minds, it looks like both teams will leave this trade largely the same as they went in.
The Dolphins, who are indeed trading Shaq Lawson for Benardrick McKinney, structured Lawson's deal in a way that allowed for this with minimal cap pain. Will cost them just $2.7M against the cap to move him, plus an additional $7.2M to absorb McKinney's contract. Total wash.
— Adam Beasley (@AdamHBeasley) March 14, 2021
The Shaq Lawson-Benardrick McKinney trade cap break drown:
BMack: Dead cap of $1.5 mil Cap savings $6,437,500
Shaq Lawson contract: $8.5 mil
Net Total of transaction:-$2,062,500 (For Texans)— GM Fanatic (@FanaticGm) March 14, 2021
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