The Houston Texans went out to go get another piece to add into their linebacker room by reportedly signing Sione Takitaki over the weekend, following the recent injury Jake Hansen suffered in training camp .
As a result, this linebacker group has gotten even more interesting than it already was heading into training camp, and might now just be the one position group with the most questions to answer across the next few weeks.
Let's take a look at what you can expect within the Texans' linebacker group as training camp continues following the news on Takitaki :
Jul 30, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans linebacker Jake Hansen (35) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
There's no news yet on what Jake Hansen's exact injury is, or a definitive timeline for how long he'll be sidelined, other than the fact that DeMeco Ryans considered his absence week-to-week , and that the injury is deemed an ankle issue.
Could that be two weeks, leaving him to return during preseason? Or could it linger a bit longer, perhaps spanning into the regular season in September? To this point, we don't exactly know. But the Texans going out to sign Takitaki does seem to indicate Hansen will be out for a decent stretch of time, as opposed to just a few practices.
That also leaves the door open for Hansen to be placed on the PUP list, which is currently where EJ Speed and M.J. Stewart currently lie, leaving them to participate in team activities, but not practice until he's taken off that designation.
Again, there's no confirmation on what the next steps are for Hansen. But this seems like a likely outcome, based on the information we know now.
Dec 15, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Sione Takitaki (16) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
Now onto Takitaki's role, he immediately joins a tight battle in the Texans' linebacker room that was already highly competitive considering EJ Speed's offseason injury . Hansen's absence will only heighten the stakes.
Beyond the two clear starters in Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To'oTo'o, you've got rookies Wade Woodaz and Aiden Fisher looking to stake their claim on the roster, Marte Mapu and Jake Hummel coming on from this offseason, along with K.C. Ossai and Jamal Hill returning for another year in Houston , looking to take a step forward from last season.
And of course, now you add another competitor into the mix with Sione Takitaki.
That's a deep room with a lot of talent. And really, it's hard to pinpoint an exact consensus of how this unit will look moving past cutdown day. Woodaz feels like a strong bet to make the cut simply as a fourth-round rookie, but the verdict outside of him remains largely undetermined--making these next few weeks of camp extremely important for everyone in the room.
Jul 31, 2026; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
When looking back at last year's 53-man roster, the Texans decided to carry six linebackers onto their active roster in Week 1. Perhaps the current circumstances could make this year different, but there's a good chance Houston takes a similar approach in this room as they did in 2025.
So who could be the six guys making the cut?
A lot can change throughout the coming weeks of camp. But looking at the current landscape of it all, Al-Shaair and To'oTo'o are locks. Woodaz looks pretty close to lock status, and the Texans' trade for Mapu earlier this offseason feels like a hint that the coaching staff has a clear plan in place for him.
Then you have two spots left to fill, which is right where Takitaki will try and sneak into throughout the coming weeks. And based on his experience and value he presents on both special teams and defensively, he's got a good shot to do so.
At the same time, Fisher has some appealing college production that could translate to the NFL. Hall could be an awesome piece in coverage as a former defensive back. Hummel presents a ton of special teams value and could fill into a similar role that Hansen has if he's going to miss some extended time into the season.
There's a lot to like with the room the Texans had before adding Takitaki, and right now, makes him someone who's on the outside looking in for a 53-man roster spot, rather than joining in and having the inside track.
So expect Takitaki to have his work cut out for him in the days and weeks ahead. Because if cutdown day were tomorrow, it feels like he'd be one of the casualties rather than getting the nod as one of 53.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/texans/onsi as What to Expect From Texans LB Room After Signing Sione Takitaki .
