The Houston Texans made it clear early on this offseason that their focus would be on locking up key players for the future. Much of their emphasis has been on the defensive side of the ball.

Fortunately, they have now managed to get a good head start on it. According to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, the Texans have signed linebacker Benardrick McKinney to a five-year, $50 million deal with $21 million guaranteed:

The Texans have locked up standout LB Benardrick McKinney to a 5-year contract extension worth $50M, sources said. He gets $21M guaranteed. This was a priority for the offseason, keeping a defensive stalwart on the books.

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Needless to say, it is certainly a lucrative extension for McKinney and he is well-deserving. He is coming off solid back-to-back campaigns and has established himself as an integral part of this defense moving forward.

The former second-round pick from the 2015 NFL Draft has registered 287 tackles, 9.0 sacks, and two forced fumbles while appearing in 46 games over the past three seasons. That said, it appears the Texans are convinced that McKinney can continue to get the job done for years to come.

It is encouraging to see Houston has managed to take care of one of its key players on the defensive side of the ball. They are currently in the midst of a monster extension for defensive end Jadeveon Clowney as well. Although the Texans became a bit of a juggernaut on offense for spurts of the 2017 campaign, there is no question that the defense has always been the backbone of this team.