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On Tuesday, December 19, former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Justin Houston was released onto waivers by the Carolina Panthers.
ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter tweeted, “Panthers are releasing four-time Pro-Bowl LB Justin Houston, per source.”
On Wednesday, December 20, NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported, “Veteran pass rushers Justin Houston and Jason Pierre-Paul cleared waivers, per the wire. They’re free agents.”
Houston will be looking to capture the elusive Super Bowl ring that has evaded him his whole career. “Houston wants to play again this season, but only for a contender,” according to Schefter.
The linebacker joined the Panthers in the 2023 off-season after two years with the Ravens. He has had a difficult season with the 2-12 Panthers.
Houston played in the first seven games of the season before being placed on the injured reserve in November. In those seven games, the veteran linebacker was only able to put up 9 combined tackles, 0.5 sacks and 2 tackles for loss.
Houston only played in about 41% of the snaps for the Panthers this season. Now that he has been released, he will have a chance to join on with a team looking for a little extra pass-rush help.
According to ESPN’s Field Yates, “While he’s had just .5 sacks this year, it’s a minimal opportunity cost for a team.”
Justin Houston’s Stellar Career is Missing a Super Bowl
Houston was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third-round of the 2011 draft. Houston had a stellar career with the Chiefs playing eight seasons with the team.
In those eight seasons, he was a Pro-Bowler four times and was First-Team All Pro in 2014. The linebacker hit double digit sacks three times with the Chiefs, including a spectacular 22.0 sack season during his All-Pro year.
The 22.0 sack season was 0.5 short of the NFL record for a season, but he is the single-season sack record holder for the Chiefs. He is also fourth all-time for the Chiefs team with 78.5 sacks.
Houston reached the AFC championship game with the Chiefs during the 2018 season but fell to the New England Patriots. He joined the Indianapolis Colts in the 2019 off-season, played for them for two seasons and had another double-digit sack season.
Unfortunately, the year he left, the Chiefs made it to the Super Bowl and beat the San Francisco 49ers. Houston then joined the Ravens in 2021 where he played 29 games with Baltimore.
Houston was a solid linebacker for the Ravens. He contributed 14 sacks in two seasons with limited snaps.
The linebacker did not put up the sack numbers with Carolina, but the 34-year-old is only a season removed from a 9.5 sack season. He could be a great depth piece and veteran presence for a team that needs a little extra pass-rush.
Ravens Missing Key Receivers at Practice
The Ravens have a critical matchup upcoming with the 49ers on Christmas Day and need an all-hands-on deck approach if they hope to beat the NFC juggernaut.
On Wednesday, December 20, the Ravens were missing star receivers Zay Flowers and Odell Beckham Jr. from practice, according to Baltimore editor Ryan Mink.
Harbaugh was asked by reporters about Flowers missing practice, telling them, “No, no concern.” According to Mink, “The first official team injury report of the week won’t come out until Thursday.”
Morgan Moses also missed practice with a “shoulder injury” Mink reported. With the 49ers ability to rush the QB, the Ravens will need a healthy line that is ready to battle in the trenches.
Mink did have positive news for Ravens fans, reporting, “In good news, safety Marcus Williams (groin) and left tackle Ronnie Stanley (concussion) are on the field.”
The Ravens face their toughest test of the season, Heavy Sports’ projections powered by Quarter4 give the Ravens a 35% chance of victory over the 49ers, with a 4.5-point expected loss margin.
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