James Houston

Browns add two new pass rushers off of waivers

The Browns have claimed Cameron Thomas and James Houston off of waivers and cut one to make room.

The Cleveland Browns have turned over a bit of their defensive end room, claiming both Cameron Thomas and James Houston off of waivers.

Thomas, a former NFL draft crush, was a third round pick of the Arizona Cardinals in the 2022 NFL draft. Prior to the start of the season, the Cardinals traded him to the Kansas City Chiefs where he did not stick. He racked up three sacks as a rookie but that is all of the noise he has made in his NFL career. He looks to kick it up a notch in Cleveland next to Myles Garrett.

Houston, former sixth round pick of the Detroit Lions, was phased off of the roster when the Browns sent veteran Za’Darius Smith up north at the trade deadline. After a promising rookie season where he racked up eight sacks, Houston has struggled to find the field over the last two years, registering just one sack in that span.

With the injury to Alex Wright, and the trade of Smith, the Browns have needed some depth in the defensive end room. They get that in the form of these two waiver wire additions.

To make room for the move, the Browns waived defensive end Elerson Smith.

James Houston claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Browns

James Houston gets a fresh start in Cleveland after being dumped by Detroit

James Houston won’t have to move too far for his next NFL gig. A day after being released by the Detroit Lions, the third-year EDGE was claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Browns.

Houston joins the Browns and is immediately on their 53-man active roster. He will help fill the hole in Cleveland that opened when the Lions traded for EDGE Za’Darius Smith.

[lawrence-related id=109904]

The Browns were No. 8 in the NFL’s waiver claim order, meaning that they were the first team to place a claim on Houston after the first seven all passed. The Lions own the No. 32 and final waiver claim entering Week 13.

Lions are releasing EDGE James Houston ahead of Week 13

It just didn’t work out for Houston after a spectacular 6 weeks in his rookie season

The Detroit Lions are letting go of EDGE James Houston ahead of the Week 13 matchup with the Chicago Bears. Numerous reports of Houston’s release were confirmed by Lions head coach Dan Campbell.

It’s a disappointing end to three star-crossed seasons in Detroit for Houston. A late-round pick out of Jackson State, Houston initially failed to make Detroit’s roster as a rookie in 2022. But midway through the season, Houston earned reps and quickly proved a very effective pass rusher.

Houston stampeded to eight sacks in six weeks to cap the 2022 season. He wasn’t able to sustain the success, unfortunately.

He played his way down the depth chart the following summer, and Houston then suffered a severe ankle injury playing special teams early in 2023.

After another uninspiring offseason, Houston was a surprise to make the Lions in 2024. His inability to generate pressure in limited reps led to the EDGE-needy Lions pulling the plug after the Week 12 win over the Colts

“It just didn’t (work out),” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “We had James up for a number of games, came back off the injury and got back, and it just never quite worked out. And look, wish him the best of luck. Sometimes you just need a fresh start, and this could be great for him.”

James Houston must seize his ‘great opportunity’ with all the Lions’ injuries

James Houston must seize his ‘great opportunity’ against the Vikings with all the Lions’ injuries. If not now, when?

The Detroit Lions have lost a starting pass rusher to major injury in each of their last three games. In Week 3, EDGE Marcus Davenport was lost for the season, followed by SAM Derrick Barnes in Week 4. After the bye week, Detroit lost NFL Defensive Player of the Year front-runner Aidan Hutchinson.

That creates an all-hands-on-deck situation for the Lions in addressing the pass rush. Yet there’s one Lions pass rusher with a supernova of production from his rookie season who is seemingly at the bottom of the deck.

James Houston.

Despite his eight sacks in six games at the end of the 2022 season, Houston has been a healthy scratch most of the season–including Week 6 in Dallas, when the Lions played without Davenport and Barnes. Undrafted rookie and practice squad call-up Isaac Ukwu got the nod instead of Houston and showed some (largely unrefined) ability in the blowout win over Dallas.

From rookie star to healthy scratch on a team desperate for the one thing he does well, it seems like Houston has one last shot to salvage any career with the Lions. Detroit head coach Dan Campbell very much sounded that way when asked about Houston and the opportunity in front of him in the Week 7 showdown with the Minnesota Vikings.

Here’s Campbell’s full answer,

“Yeah, I think there’s a chance that he goes to the game here and there may be a place for him. He’s been practicing this week and it’s kind of like – so, yeah, there could be a place here, but it’s like everything else, it’s about the reps in practice, what they look like, and then even when you get in the game, what do those look like?

And if they’re good and there’s production and discipline, then keep putting him in, and if it’s not, put somebody else in. But yeah, this is a great opportunity. It’s a great opportunity for him.”

If Campbell’s words seem familiar, they should. Houston was poised with a golden opportunity to fill Marcus Davenport’s shoes in Week 2 against Tampa Bay. In Detroit’s only loss in 2024, Houston played just three snaps.

Another opportunity came in the Lions’ Week 4 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks. Alas, Houston was completely nullified; in 13 pass rush snaps, he recorded one generously credited pressure by PFF and ended (by my film review) nine plays on the ground. Week 4 was Detroit’s first game without Davenport permanently, and also when SAM backer Derrick Barnes went down with a bad injury.

With Campbell effectively declaring newcomer Isaiah Thomas not ready to play yet in Minnesota, this is indeed a great opportunity for Houston to prove he still belongs. It’s also probably the last one Houston will get if he doesn’t impress Campbell and the coaches.

It seemed telling earlier in the week when Campbell rattled off the names of four practice squad players (Ukwu, Mitchell Agude, Muhammad Al-Quadin, Cam Gill) before briefly mentioning Houston’s name as potential solutions for replacing Hutchinson’s production. Be it a lack of desired size, an inability to play the run, or the physically diminished ability from a serious ankle injury suffered at the beginning of 2023, it feels like this is Houston’s last chance to make a mark.

If not now, when?

James Houston among Detroit Lions inactive players vs. Cowboys in Week 6

James Houston among healthy scratch Detroit Lions inactive players vs. Cowboys in Week 6

The Detroit Lions are healthy enough coming out of the Week 5 bye week that all the gameday inactive players for the Week 6 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys are healthy scratches.

The list includes EDGE James Houston, who has been replaced in the Week 6 lineup by undrafted rookie Isaac Ukwu. It’s the NFL debut for Uwku, who was elevated from the practice squad for the game in Dallas.

The list of inactive players for Detroit:

EDGE James Houston

OL Colby Sorsdal

OL Giovanni Manu

WR Isaiah Williams

S Loren Strickland

Strickland and Williams are undrafted rookies. Manu is the team’s fourth-round rookie, while Sorsdal and Houston were Day 3 picks in prior seasons.

Trade? Haason Reddick among 5 NFL edge rushers Cowboys should consider after Parsons, Lawrence injuries

Reddick is the most famous name, but there’s also a former Mike Zimmer draft pick who may be available in Minnesota. | From @KDDrummondNFL

It could be worse, but it is absolutely bad for the Dallas Cowboys. Following the snapping of a two-game losing streak on Thursday, Cowboys Wire’s headline hinted there may not be much joy despite another beating of the rival New York Giants. “Cowboys hope winning battle vs Giants, 20-15, didn’t cost them much more via injury,” it read. Well, it did. MRIs revealed that three-time All-Pro Micah Parsons suffered a high-ankle sprain when he was landed on late in the game. To make matters worse, four-time Pro Bowler DeMarcus Lawrence had exited in the third quarter and was seen getting the bottom of his foot taped with what has now been deemed a multiple-week foot injury.

That’s two starting edge rushers out for an undetermined stretch after the team already lost key reserve Sam Williams for the season during training camp. Things are dire and it may lead the front office to try and get some help from outside the organization.

Earlier in the day, anticipating this news, a list of 10 street free agents was put together. But those guys are on the street for a reason and there may not be much return there. It might take looking to other team’s rosters in order to stop the bleeding. So who exactly is available, or could be for the right price? A quick poll of NFL Wire editors about where their respective teams’ rosters stood revealed four names they thought their clubs would deem expendable for the right price. The conversation though starts with a player who has already asked to be traded from his current club.

Haason Reddick, NY Jets

Reddick was traded from the Philadelphia Eagles to the New York Jets over the summer, in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick. Reddick hasn’t stepped foot inside the Jets facilities, holding out the entire training camp and regular season. He even demanded to be traded again in August after the two sides failed to rework his contract.

Reddick has been accruing fines and is weeks away from having his contract toll to 2025, which means he’ll be locked into the Jets for 2025 under the same terms if he doesn’t report by a deadline. It appears he feels slighted by the Jets so it’s unclear whether or not he’d play under his current contract for another team, but the Cowboys have the cap room to take on the final 14 weeks of his agreement, sitting over $25 million in the black after the extensions for Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.

ESPN’s Rich Cimini laid out a scenario where Reddick’s reps appear to have hinted he’d like to return to Philly (via Bleacher Report), but would he take a trip to Dallas also? There are questions, of course.

If Reddick were willing to play without a new deal, would the Jets acquiesce? Would a 2026 third rounder or worth do the trick? How long of a ramp-up period would be required for a player who hasn’t worked out with a team all year? How long does Dallas think they’ll be without Parsons and Lawrence? Does the front office care more about winning in 2024 or cap space to carry over? In the likelihood those questions can’t be adequately addressed, there are some other options to explore.

Poach Candidate: San Okuyinonu, San Francisco 49ers

Via Kyle Madison of Niners Wire: “Sam Okuayinonu on SF practice squad. Had a sack last week.”

Okuayinonu stands 6-foot-1, 269 pounds and has been in the league since 2022, starting with the Tennessee Titans.

Trade Candidate: James Houston, DE, Detroit Lions

Jeff Risdon, Lions Wire: “He’s on the 53 (healthy scratch weekly) but the Lions would certainly listen on James Houston.”

It appears that the 6-foot-1, 245 third-year player is caught behind a ton of talent and hasn’t been able to break into the rotation since being a sixth-round pick in 2022.

Trade Candidate: Pat Jones II, Minnesota Vikings

Andrew Harbaugh, Vikings Wire: “Pat Jones II is on the active roster but the Vikings are deep enough they may entertain trade talks for him (4 sacks through the first three weeks).”

The fourth-year pro stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 265 pounds and is actually an original draft pick of current Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, going in the third round in 2021. He has already matched his career high in sacks in a season with four.

Trade Candidates: Nik Bonitto, Baron Browning, Denver Broncos

Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15). Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Jon Heath, Broncos Wire: “Baron Browning has three more games on IR. Once he returns, Denver will have a surplus with Browning, Cooper, Bonitto, Elliss and Tillman. I think they’d definitely trade Bonitto, and once healthy, Browning too.”

Bonitto, 6-foot-3, 240 pounds and now in his third season in the league, has a sack on the season after notching eight last year. He was a second-round pick in 2022.

Browning, a third-round pick from 2021, stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 240 pounds. He had 4.5 sacks last year after five in 2022.

Options for the Lions to replace injured EDGE Marcus Davenport

Exploring the different options the Detroit Lions have to replace injured EDGE Marcus Davenport

The Detroit Lions are once again in scramble mode to find a reliable starter at the EDGE position opposite Aidan Hutchinson. The solution for the first three games, veteran Marcus Davenport, suffered what is reported to be a potential season-ending elbow injury in the Lions Week 3 win over the Arizona Cardinals. At minimum, it appears Davenport will miss at least a few games.

Davenport played effectively when he was on the field, but his lengthy injury history was always a factor. The one-time Saints first-rounder had already missed Detroit’s Week 2 loss to the Buccaneers, and his proven frailty unfortunately reared its head in just his second week of action for the Lions.

Replacement options

The Lions already have some reinforcements on the roster. None offer the high-end pass rush skills Davenport brought, but the coaching staff already has familiarity with how to use each.

Levi Onwuzurike

Onwuzurike has already seen quite a bit of time as the “heavy” end. Well over half (74 of 125 per PFF) of his 2024 reps have come aligned as an end, meaning heads-up with the tackle or outside that set. Onwuzurike picked up a half-sack in both Week 1 and Week 2, and he is the most capable internal option to keep up the “crush the can” style Davenport brought that head coach Dan Campbell wants.

At over 290 pounds, Onwuzurike sets a powerful edge against the run on his way to the quarterback, though he doesn’t have much speed. No. 91 is also a key member of the internal DL rotation and has proven more adept at creating pressures from that inside alignment. He’s an incredible injury success story, fighting back from a likely career-ending back fusion surgery and working his way into the rotation.

Josh Paschal

Paschal is another heavier/power style of edge, though he hasn’t had the NFL success of Davenport or even Onwuzurike to this point. The 2022 second-round pick is adapting to a more power-oriented approach, something the Lions encouraged for the 280-ish-pounder after he struggled to find an identity in his first two years.

One of the reasons the Lions brought Davenport in was Paschal’s own lengthy injury history. He’s also been ineffective when he’s played in 2024; No. 93 has generated one QB pressure in 35 pass-rush snaps in three games, the same number of penalties he’s committed. Paschal was one of the Lions’ lowest-graded players in both Week 1 and Week 3 by PFF, and those grades pass the eye test.

Houston brings a very different style element to playing EDGE. He’s a speed rusher, one who found tremendous success at the end of his rookie campaign in 2022.

Despite the prolific outburst, Houston has barely played since. He lost his role in 2023 before suffering a serious ankle injury. It was dicey that Houston would make the Lions roster in 2024 after he struggled in camp. He’s been a healthy scratch in two of the first three weeks and only saw action on three snaps when Davenport was out for Week 2.

Houston’s lack of size really stands out on the Lions roster. At just 6-foot-1 and 245 pounds, he’s at least three inches shorter and 20 pounds lighter than the other options currently on the 53-man roster (including Davenport). He’s more of a fit to potentially step into Derrick Barnes’ role at SAM should Barnes be sidelined with his injury suffered in Arizona, except the team already pulled the plug on trying to get Houston in that more LB-oriented role.

Mekhi Wingo

Wingo hasn’t played a lot yet as a sixth-round rookie. The 6-foot-1, 290-pounder from LSU is a positional tweener at his size. Detroit has used him on the edge in preseason and also in the first three weeks, and his increased role in Arizona suggests he might be poised for a bigger shot here.

He’s a crafty fighter, but Wingo’s lack of length and also quickness beyond his first step appear to be limiting factors. Having said that, the rookie has been more effective at rushing the passer than Paschal already. If he can hold up against the run and not lose containment on his rushes, Wingo could very well take over a much meatier role. That’s a lot to ask of a sixth-round rookie, however.

Practice squad

The Lions have two practice squad players who saw a lot of action over the summer at EDGE. Mitchell Agude and Isaac Ukwu both challenged to make the roster over Houston with their ability to impact and disrupt off the edge.

Agude is the more likely call-up — especially if Barnes is out — as he is cross-trained at SAM. He’s slightly undersized (6-3/252) for what the Lions want at EDGE but plays with stoutness as a primarily power-to-speed style of pass rusher.

Ukwu, an undrafted rookie from Ole Miss, is more like Houston stylistically. He’s the only other real speed-rush option, and he’s got bend and juice around the outside. Ukwu was very hit-and-miss in camp and preseason, but his “hit” is certainly intriguing.

Detroit also has Chris Smith on the practice squad. Smith is an interior-only defender, but bringing him back up to the active roster would facilitate the Lions playing Onwuzurike more exclusively outside.

Yet the most likely option from the practice squad should be veteran Pat O’Connor. The 30-year-old has years of experience with the Buccaneers in a reserve role, and he brings almost exactly the same size and length as Davenport (6-4/272). O’Connor knows how to play the run, and he showed this summer he could crush the can when aligned wide.

External options

The free agent pool at EDGE is pretty shallow. There are some faded vets with better name recognition than 2024 ability, guys like Yannick Ngakoue and Shaq Lawson.

As for trades…

It can’t be ruled out, but it seems extremely unlikely Lions GM Brad Holmes would make a move of any significance here. Unless it makes sense financially and within the culture of the Lions, it’s just not a viable path. Read as: the Lions aren’t going to pay for a disgruntled player like Haason Reddick of the Jets. He’s the only noteworthy player that is potentially available via trade right now, and speculating about others (Maxx Crosby comes to mind) is irresponsible clickbait. Now if the Raiders make any indication that Crosby might be available — and they have not done that — then the Lions should at least call.

Lions snap count notes: Big rep debuts for Tim Patrick and DJ Reader

Lions snap count notes vs. Buccaneers in Week 2: Big rep debuts for Tim Patrick and DJ Reader

The day after a game is always a good time to check back in on who played and for how long for the Detroit Lions. Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers snap counts are now out.

Before even getting to the player participation, the stark discrepancy in the number of offensive snaps jumps off the sheet. Detroit ran 85 offensive plays, while Tampa Bay ran just 48. The Lions ran 37 more plays than the Bucs.

That crazy split puts a cap on some of the Detroit defensive participation; there just weren’t nearly as many opportunities as in a normal game. Three players, all in the secondary, played every defensive snap:

Kerby Joseph
Brian Branch
Carlton Davis

Slot CB Amk Robertson played 18 snaps, including four filling in for starting outside CB Terrion Arnold when Arnold dealt with a finger injury.

Linebacker Alex Anzalone played all 40 available snaps before departing with a concussion. That left Derrick Barnes playing the most reps at LB, with 45. Jack Campbell played 35, followed by Malcolm Rodriguez with 19. Jalen Reeves-Maybin did sneak onto the field for two.

James Houston played three snaps in his return to the lineup at EDGE. With Marcus Davenport out, Levi Onwuzurike took over most of his snaps. Onwuzurike was on the field for 36 of the 48 snaps. Aidan Hutchinson played his customary 90 percent of snaps, playing 43. DJ Reader saw action on 25 in his Lions debut.

On offense, the entire starting offensive line and QB Jared Goff were iron men and never left the field.

At RB, Jahmyr Gibbs out-repped David Montgomery 53 to 30. Sione Vaki played four reps, while Craig Reynolds played three out of 85 snaps.

Tim Patrick wound up getting more snaps at wide receiver than Kalif Raymond. Patrick, called up from the practice squad, played 33 to Raymond’s 31. Tom Kennedy played five, though Kennedy was Detroit’s primary kick returner in this game.

The Lions had three reserve offensive linemen who played one snap apiece: Dan Skipper, Kayode Awosika and Michael Niese. Those came on the fake punt attempt, which counts as an offensive rep.

The door is open for James Houston to shine vs. Buccaneers

The door is open for Lions EDGE James Houston to shine vs. Buccaneers thanks to injury and ineffectiveness around him

James Houston was a healthy scratch for the Detroit Lions Week 1 win over the Los Angeles Rams. The Lions didn’t need Houston’s services in the game, a contest where the Detroit pass rush completely dominated the decimated Rams line without him.

Yet already, the dynamic has changed. Marcus Davenport, who was outstanding in his Lions debut against the Rams, is doubtful with a groin injury. In Dan Campbell’s world, doubtful means out, leaving Detroit down an impact EDGE.

Aidan Hutchinson was unstoppable in the win over the Rams, but Davenport’s strong presence on the opposite side of the formation created an excellent balance for the Lions pass rush. Outside of those two, Detroit didn’t get much from the EDGEs. Josh Paschal was ineffective in his 20-plus snaps, failing to record a single stat. Levi Onwuzurike, who technically started the game ahead of Davenport, was a lot more effective playing to his inside; the 300-ish pound Onwuzurike isn’t a threat to win around the outside.

Davenport’s anticipated absence creates an opening for a player who can win around the edge. A player who can get off the ball quickly and then bend the corner to get to the quarterback.

A player like James Houston.

The Houston from the final weeks of the 2022 campaign, specifically. Houston was “Da Problem” for opposing quarterbacks, with eight sacks in six games after not playing at all before then.

He’s done next to nothing since, falling on the depth chart the following summer before suffering a serious leg injury in Week 2 of 2023 while playing special teams. Houston was in real danger of not making the Lions 53-man roster, based on Dan Campbell’s own words. But they kept him for a reason.

A game like this one, against Tampa Bay, is that exact reason. With injuries forcing the issue, Houston offers skills no one else on the Lions defense can replicate. It’s his time to shine, to prove he still belongs.

Dan Campbell explains why James Houston was a healthy scratch in Week 1

Detroit head coach Dan Campbell explains why EDGE James Houston was a healthy scratch in Week 1 vs. the Rams

James Houston was a healthy scratch for the Detroit Lions in Week 1. The third-year pass rusher was held out of the Lions’ win over the Rams, a Los Angeles team that was quite vulnerable at offensive tackle.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell was asked about what Houston needs to do to be active on game days.

“Well, so much of it is–it could be him or it’s the defensive back. So, what’s going to bring more to you and what plays into that is, and special teams is a big one,” Campbell said.

Houston was injured on special teams in 2023 and did not participate much in training camp on punt and kick units. Campbell then brought up the impact of injuries around the roster.

“What about injury in other areas? So, maybe you need the insurance. Some of it is, what kind of production is that going to bring or how many snaps is he going to get? So, I can’t answer that clearly, but he’s another guy – I mean he’s here, he’s working, we’d love to get him up if the possibility presents itself or the opportunity presents itself, and so we’ll just take it as it comes.”

With starters Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport both healthy–and dominant vs. the Rams–and reserves Josh Paschal and Levi Onwuzurike also at full speed, the Lions didn’t feel the need to have a fifth EDGE active. Linebacker Derrick Barnes, playing the SAM role that Houston couldn’t handle, also frequently positioned as a stand-up pass rusher.

This week, Davenport is dealing with a groin injury that kept him out of Wednesday’s practice. That could be the opening for Houston to make his 2024 debut.