Tue Jun 3 14:53:45 2008

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Texans extend GM Smith four years

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Houston, TX (Sports Network) - The Houston Texans have signed general manager Rick Smith to a four-year contract extension, the club announced Tuesday.

"Rick has done a fine job for us," said Texans chairman Bob McNair. "I'm real pleased with what he has done and I'm happy with the direction that we are heading in."

Under Smith, at 38 the youngest general manager in the league, the Texans won a franchise-best eight games last season. Some of the big acquisitions by Smith in his two years as GM are quarterback Matt Schaub, acquired via a trade with the Atlanta Falcons, and wide receiver Andre Davis, signed as a free agent.

Smith came to Houston in 2006 after 10 seasons in the Denver Broncos' front office. His new deal will keep him with the Texans through the 2012 season.

"We feel confident that these players are working extremely hard to reach our goals and we feel like this organization is at a point now where we're poised to do some good things, and everybody understands that the only way we're going to do it is by extremely hard work," Smith said. "We're committed to doing that, and I feel good about the fact that I can relax, knowing that we're going to be here and we can go about the job of building this franchise."