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DeMeco Ryans and the Houston Texans took care of some in-house business before the trade deadline, with a Week 10 showdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars looming. The Texans agreed to a contract extension with veteran linebacker and special teams maven Jake Hansen. Hansen is in his fourth season with the Texans and in the league. He has become a staple in all aspects of the third phase. The Texans decided to reward him to kick off what could be an eventful week around the NFL. Special Teams ‘Standout’ Jake Hansen Signs Extension An undrafted free agent out of Illinois in 2022, Hanses has appeared in 49 career games, with four starts. Hansen has appeared in all eight of the Texans’ games this season, logging 10 total tackles. For his career, Hansen has 75 total stops, 2.0 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 recovery. “#Texans have reached a contract extension with linebacker and special teams standout Jake Hansen, per #NFL sources,” KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson reported in a post on X on November 2. The Texans also announced the deal. Wilson added in a follow-up post that Hansen’s extension with the Texans secures his services through 2026 and is worth up to $3 million. The deal secures one of the most consistent special teamers in the NFL. Hansen is 16th in special teams snaps played since the start of the 2022 season, per Stathead. Of the 16 players with at least 800 special teams snaps in that span, Hansen ranks sixth with 50 total stops despite having the second-fewest appearances. Having two starts under his belt certainly helps, but he has still largely been a special teamer for the bulk of his career. The question after the move is whether Hansen will be the Texans’ only move before the trade deadline. Texans HC DeMeco Ryans Gets Honest About Trade Deadline Ryans met with the media on Monday, and he made it clear where his focus is as the Texans brace for the 2025 trade deadline. The deadline is on November 4 at 4 p.m. ET. “We’ll see what happens throughout the trade deadline,” Ryans told reporters on November 3. “Not involved in that right now. Just finishing up here. We’ll see what happens later throughout the afternoon.” Texans general manager Nick Caserio lauded the state of the roster in early October, downplaying expectations for an active trade deadline. He did not close the door on making a deal, though. “There’s always a cost. Do a cost-benefit analysis. Not to get into a big economics discussion, but that’s a part of it. So, if you’re going to give something up, what are you getting in return? And if you’re comfortable with that decision, what’s it cost from a contractual standpoint? Some of those types of things. So, try to maintain as much flexibility as possible,” Caserio told reporters in October. “We’re in a decent spot. If there’s a situation out there that we feel makes some sense, and it works out, great. If it doesn’t, then okay. There’s nothing we can do about it, and we’re prepared to handle it with the players that we have here.” C.J. Stroud’s concussion throws his status for Week 10 into question, and a loss could put them in dire straits to make a playoff push. Unfortunately for the Texans, they must decide before getting clarity on Stroud.
