The Detroit Lions cut edge rusher James Houston on Tuesday, but the pass rusher should land on his feet in the coming days. A sixth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Jackson State product began his career on a promising note. Appearing in seven games while making two starts, Houston finished his rookie season with 12 tackles, seven tackles-for-loss, 11 quarterback hits, and an impressive eight sacks. While he was at his best in a situational role, this performance suggested he could carve out a role for himself in the league.
Unfortunately, Houston couldn’t build on this performance. Falling down the depth chart, James Houston recorded just nine tackles and one sack over the past two seasons before the Lions eventually cut him. The Lions have one of the best rosters in football and felt they were better off without the three-year veteran, but he could land a rotational job with the Kansas City Chiefs or Baltimore Ravens.
Chiefs, Ravens Could Claim James Houston After Unceremonious Cut
The Kansas City Chiefs made two notable moves at the trade deadline, acquiring DeAndre Hopkins from the Tennessee Titans and Josh Uche from the New England Patriots. While Hopkins has become a key part of the Chiefs passing attack, Uche has been an afterthought on this defense. Through his four games with the club, the former second-round pick has recorded just two tackles and no sacks. Ultimately, his 11-sack 2022 season looks more and more like a mirage, as he has never recorded more than three sacks in any other season.
Perhaps Uche can turn it around with more time on the field, but Kansas City must find a better backup plan. With the trade deadline now passed, the Chiefs should put in a claim for the cut James Houston. Perhaps he also doesn’t work out, but it can’t hurt to try. George Karlaftis leads the team with four sacks and is the only edge defender with more than two. This defense allowed Bryce Young to look like a first-overall pick, and it must improve for this team to win their third championship in as many seasons.
More Help For Baltimore
Lamar Jackson is playing at an MVP level once again, but the Baltimore Ravens still trail the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North race. This is largely the fault of the defense, as the unit has not played up to its usual standards. Odafe Oweh is having a remarkable season, but veteran Kyle Van Noy is slowing down after an impressive start to the season. The current pass rush would be good enough for most defenses, but given Baltimore’s issues in the secondary, they should try to find another reliable pass rusher.
James Houston might not be the most inspiring signing, but the cut veteran could be the best option available. With Yannick Ngakoue now on the Patriots, Houston could fill the vacated situational pass rusher role and perhaps carve out a role for a contender as the season progresses.
Main Photo: Marc Lebryk – USA Today Sports
