Brian Cushing's return to the roster will be a major story line for Houston Texans fans to follow this preseason. If that sounds familiar, it's because this is the second year in a row the 27-year-old has found himself in this situation, thanks to two freak leg injuries in 2012 and 2013.
A Matt Slauson cut-block to the back of Cushing's knee ended his season in Week 5 of the 2012 season. During a play fake in 2013's Week 7 matchup with the Chiefs, Jamaal Charles blocked Cushing low, as running backs often do against rampaging linebackers. Both hits cut short what were amounting to be promising seasons for the sixth-year linebacker.
Cushing had no shortage of impact plays while he was on the field, as the video clearly shows. Simply put, the Texans absolutely need him to stay healthy and play at a high level if they want any chance of returning to respectability in 2014.
He's starting off Training Camp on the PUP list, but by all indications, this is just a precaution to ease him back into things (we hope). Enjoy the video and send some positive energy Cushing's way. I love the song choice for this, by the way.
Show us all what we have earned
We'll keep your words and show the world
A drop of dreams is all it takes
A drop of dreams to show, to show the world, to show the world
A drop of dreams to show the world
So show us all what we have earned
We'll keep your words to show
Locked in a cage, for a really long time, time, time...
- "Locked in a Cage" by Brick + Mortar