Former Texans inside linebacker Benardrick McKinney issued an official goodbye to the city of Houston on social media Monday afternoon.
McKinney spent his first six seasons with the Texans before a trade this weekend sent him to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for edge rusher Shaq Lawson.
The Texans are switching to a primarily 4-3 defense under coordinator Lovie Smith, and they are already paying a costly salary to linebacker Zach Cunningham, somewhat diminishing McKinney's role.
Lawson is expected to provide help for the Texans' pass rush.
McKinney, though, had a solid career in Houston.
He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2018 and named a second-team All-Pro in 2016, when he was the only player in the league with at least 100 tackles and five sacks.
McKinney either led or shared the team lead in tackles from 2016 to 2018 and was second in 2019.
Despite playing just four games in 2020 before a shoulder injury sidelined him for the season, McKinney became the third-fastest player in Texans history to have 500 total tackles after a 10-tackle performance against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2.
The Texans and Dolphins are exchanging late-round draft picks in addition to swapping McKinney and Lawson. Miami gets Houston's 2021 seventh-round pick for the Dolphins' sixth-round draft pick, according to the Houston Chronicle's Aaron Wilson.
Along with Cunningham -- who signed a four-year, $58 million contract last year -- the Texans recently agreed to a one-year deal with former Browns and Packers linebacker Christian Kirksey.
McKinney is due a nonguaranteed base salary of $7 million this year. Lawson is due a guaranteed $7.9 million base salary this year and $8.4 million in nonguaranteed salary in 2022.
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