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Grade Houston Texans sign OL Sam Hagen
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Quick Reaction
Sentiment Analysis
B+
Positive
NegativeMixedPositive
Sam Hagen signing is a typical UDFA camp body addition with minimal roster impact expectations. Multiple headlines confirm he's competing for a practice squad or fringe 53-man roster spot. The Fordville, North Dakota native represents organizational depth-building rather than meaningful offensive line reinforcement. Fans view this as a long-shot lottery ticket with minimal expectations for meaningful contribution. Houston will likely evaluate him through preseason before deciding between practice squad placement or release.
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Contract Value Index (CVI)
C+
Fair Value
OverpayFair ValueGreat Value
Sam Hagen's three-year, $3.1M deal with the Houston Texans earns a C+ Contract Value Index (CVI) — a fair-market signing that carries modest expectations and equally modest risk. At roughly $1M AAV, this is textbook depth-piece territory, the kind of contract you hand out to a roster-filler offensive lineman who is expected to compete for a spot on the back end of the depth chart rather than anchor a starting unit. Nothing about the CVI suggests Hagen is being overpaid, but nothing about it suggests the Texans are landing a steal either — this is a transactional move designed to add bodies and competition along the offensive line heading into the offseason program. The three-year structure is mildly interesting given the depth-level salary, as it provides the Texans with some roster-management flexibility across multiple offseasons, though with no guaranteed money on record, the actual commitment here is essentially a series of annual team options in practice. For a 12-5 team currently positioned as the No. 5 seed in the AFC looking to push deeper into the postseason, signing a player at this price point signals that Houston's front office views the offensive line as a place to add inexpensive competition rather than make a transformative investment. The CVI landing here is appropriate — this is a low-stakes, low-reward addition that does exactly what it's designed to do without straining the balance sheet or creating structural cap headaches down the road.
Contract Details
- Length
- 3 years
- Total Value
- $3.1M
- AAV
- $1.0M
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About this NFL transaction
The Houston Texans signed Sam Hagen (OL) on May 8, 2026. FanVerdicts covers every reported NFL move — and asks fans to weigh in on each one. Cast your Fan Verdict on this move, see where the crowd lands, and argue the call. FanVerdicts brings its own read too — sentiment and Contract Value Index — as one honest input alongside the crowd's. Where FanVerdicts has weighed in so far: Contract Value Index C+, Sentiment B+.
Contract details below show the years, total value, average annual value, and guaranteed money behind the Contract Value Index read. That read does not change once written — it reflects market expectations at the moment of signing, recomputed only if the contract is restructured.
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