Houston Texans: 15 best free agent acquisitions of all-time

Everyone has to respect a player who decided to leave a player like Peyton Manning and a franchise like the Indianapolis Colts to join an expansion franchise like the Texans were in 2002 to have a chance to play for his hometown team.

While with the Colts from 1998 to 2001, Steve McKinney was a fourth-round draft pick by that franchise. However, the Texas native played his final six seasons with the Texans, where he totaled 73 starts in 80 games played. He did not miss a start until his final season in 2007 where he played in just three games.

McKinney did have two fumble recoveries with the Texans in 2003 and 2006. He was a cornerstone in the interior line of the Texans during most of his five-year tenure at center and both guard positions. In 2007, he tore his ACL and played in just three games at 32 years old.

Here are some stats provided by Pro Football Reference about McKinney that jump off the page while with the Texans:

• False starts: six
• Holding penalties: one
• Declined penalties: three
• Total penalties: seven

Though he wasn’t selected as a Pro Bowl player or made the big headlines, the Texans had a player who played multiple positions, played injured and was there to help the team in any way they asked him to do so.

His career didn’t have the best ending with the ACL injury, as he was unable to make the roster of the Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks as a free agent in 2008. He still played solid football while in Houston. That is what is important when signing a free agent.