The Lions re-signed Houston as an exclusive rights free agent Monday. Houston is coming off a mostly lost 2023 campaign, as a fractured ankle suffered Week 2 kept him sidelined until Detroit's loss to the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. He impressed as a rookie back in 2022, racking up 8.0 sacks despite suiting up for just seven games, so it makes sense for the Lions to retain Houston and work to continue his development.
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Status
ACTIVELatest James Houston news
Defensive
Team
Detroit Lions
Birthdate
11/16/1998 (25)
Status
Active
HT/WT
6'1", 245 lbs
Draft Info
2022: Rd 6; Pk (DET)
Birthplace
Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
Position
LB
College
Jackson State
Experience
3rd season
Career History
Detroit Lions
2022-Present
(2 seasons)
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The Lions re-signed Houston as an exclusive rights free agent Monday. Houston is coming off a mostly lost 2023 campaign, as a fractured ankle suffered Week 2 kept him sidelined until Detroit's loss to the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. He impressed as a rookie back in 2022, racking up 8.0 sacks despite suiting up for just seven games, so it makes sense for the Lions to retain Houston and work to continue his development.
Houston recorded one tackle in two games during the 2023 season. Houston was expected to handle a large workload as a pass rusher after racking up eight sacks as a rookie in 2022. However, he suffered a fractured ankle in Week 2 and didn't see the field again until the Lions' season-ending loss to the 49ers in the NFC championship game. Now set to become an exclusive-rights free agent at the end of the league year, Houston is a strong candidate to return to Detroit in 2024.