The Texans’ linebacker depth took another hit, and this one landed at exactly the wrong time.
Jason Hansen suffered a foot injury during camp, adding more uncertainty to a position group that was already looking thin behind the starters. For a defense trying to build toward another playoff run in 2026, it’s the kind of setback that forces a quick rethink.
According to the Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan M. Alexander, Hansen was hurt during team drills while trying to make a play with the second-team defense. Ryans halted practice as trainers checked on him, and Hansen was eventually loaded onto a cart with a towel over his face while teammates came over to pat him on the back.
It is too early to know how serious the injury is, but the timing is rough. Hansen was in the mix for the No. 3 linebacker job behind Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To'oTo'o, and he was competing with Marte Mapu, Jamal Hill and rookies Wade Woodaz and Aiden Fisher for snaps.
The problem is that Hansen’s injury doesn’t stand alone. Earlier this offseason, E.J.
Speed suffered a quadriceps injury in a weight-room incident that could sideline him for the entire season, though that hasn’t been determined. Even with that uncertainty, the Texans are not counting on Speed to return this year.
That leaves Houston with a real depth issue at a spot where bodies matter. Al-Shaair and To'oTo'o bring value, but the Texans can’t expect either one to take every snap at linebacker all season. Two linebackers are not enough to carry a defense through a full year.
So now Houston is left hoping for good health and a quick recovery timeline, because the margin for error at linebacker is getting smaller by the day. Hansen may not be a household name, but he was part of the plan. For now, the Texans are waiting to find out how much longer they’ll have to do without him.
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