Rookie getting inside tips from pair of veterans
McKinney, Cushing hastening progress of Cunningham
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — During an interview after practice last week, rookie inside linebacker Zach Cunningham disclosed how much veterans Brian Cushing and Benardrick McKinney are helping with his development.
“They’ve definitely been mentoring me,” said Cunningham, the second-round pick from Vanderbilt. “They’re helping me learn the defense and showing me what it takes to be a leader and a better linebacker in the NFL.”
When McKinney sat out the preseason loss at Carolina, Cunningham took advantage. Starting next to Cushing, Cunningham led the defense with seven tackles.
“It was good to be able to play the game,” Cunningham said. “It was my first game since December. To be able to get back out there and play against an opponent instead of the guys I’ve been practicing against was great.” Looking for improvement
McKinney returned to practice Thursday and Cunningham returned to the second team, but that didn’t alter his goal.
“I want to add on from the previous game,” he said. “I’m always trying to get better practice to practice and game to game.”
Cunningham and McKinney are becoming good friends as well as teammates. While Cunningham was being interviewed next to the practice field, McKinney stood close by giving him a hard time and trying to distract him.
“I can learn a lot from him,” Cunningham said, laughing and pointing at McKinney. “Doing what he’s done, there’s a lot he can teach me.”
Like Cunningham, McKinney was a second-round pick out of the SEC (Mississippi State). He’s taking a lot of pride in being a mentor.
“It feels great,” McKinney said. “When I came in, guys like Cush taught me the game, the defense and how to understand the offense.
“Zach’s a great guy on and off the field. He’s very athletic and coachable.”
As for trying to distract Cunningham during his interview?
“I like to have fun and joke on and off the field and to keep it interesting,” McKinney said.
McKinney certainly kept it interesting on the field in 2016, his second season. He was one of the NFL’s best inside linebackers, becoming the only player at his position with at least 100 tackles and five sacks.
“I couldn’t have done it without the defensive linemen,” McKinney said. “They did a good job of keeping the offensive linemen off me.
“Coach (Mike) Vrabel did a good job of putting me in position to make plays. I can be a lot better, though. I’m still understanding the offense and defense. I think the sky’s the limit.” Promise on the inside
Cushing watches McKinney’s development and Cunningham’s improvement and knows how good the Texans can be at inside linebacker.
“He’s matured tremendously since his first year in the league,” Cushing said about McKinney. “His communication, everything.
“We’ve worked side-by-side for three years now, and it’s been nice to have that kind of steady WILL (weak side) linebacker next to you. Before, there was a bunch of guys coming in and out and trying to get the camaraderie and fluidity among the linebackers. Now we have it.
“With Zach, we’ve got a very athletic linebacker that can move around. He’s matured a lot since camp started. It’s nice to see that from both those guys.”
McKinney was eager to return to practice.
“I missed the game,” he said. “I was mad every day and stressing out. It feels great to be able to practice. I have a long way to go. It’s still early in preseason. There’s still a lot that I need to correct. I’m trying not to rush things, just taking the coaching and trying to get better at my craft.”
As a three-year veteran who proved last season he can stop the run and rush the passer, there’s no limit on how good McKinney can be this season.
“I’m a physical player,” he said. “I like to hit. I just love coming downhill (and) trying to make plays. The game’s slowing down for me.
“Coach Vrabel and (linebackers coach) Bobby (King) are doing a great job coaching me and helping me understand the defense and the offense so I can fly around and just play football.”