Even if he is behind the curve in those areas, his elite bend and speed off the edge will still allow him to get reps in passing downs. He showed during his spurt as a rookie that he has a variety of moves to get around tackles, and that is a trait that many of Detroit's other options are lacking.
The Detroit Lions' defense took a big hit early in the 2023 season when James Houston suffered a serious ankle injury.
Expected to be a big part of the team's pass-rush efforts, Houston was sidelined following the Week 2 injury and didn't return until the NFC Championship game. The Lions struggled to find production elsewhere along the defensive line, as just two players surpassed five sacks for the season.
Now, Houston is healthy and eager to return. There are hopes that he can be a part of the solution as the Lions hope to get more pressure on opposing quarterbacks in 2024. As a rookie in 2022, Houston displayed an ability to be a force with eight sacks in his seven appearances.
After being elevated from the practice squad in Week 12 of the 2022 season, Houston went on an elite tear over the season's final stretch. He recorded eight sacks and 17 total pressures on just 92 total pass-rush snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
Last season, the Lions had hopes for Houston to take on a more thorough role as the team's SAM linebacker. However, he was unable to fully show his abilities in this role due to the injury. He had two pressures in the season opener but was unable to record anymore throughout his other two appearances.
The Jackson State product will certainly get a chance to show off his abilities for the defense in 2024. However, he will need to display an ability to stop the run as well as show some strength in coverage to be more than just a pass-rush specialist.
Even if he is behind the curve in those areas, his elite bend and speed off the edge will still allow him to get reps in passing downs. He showed during his spurt as a rookie that he has a variety of moves to get around tackles, and that is a trait that many of Detroit's other options are lacking.
Aidan Hutchinson led the defense last year with 11.5 sacks, with only Alim McNeill managing to surpass five or more elsewhere.
If Houston can showcase an ability to stop the run consistently, though, he opens himself up for an every-down role that could lead to more production not just in the pass-rush.
The 25-year-old should be an integral part of the defense as a situational player to start the year, with the ability to take on more responsibility depending on his development as well as that of others such as Josh Paschal.
Health will also play an important part in the distribution of snaps as he, Paschal and newcomer Marcus Davenport have all missed significant time with injuries in previous seasons.
If Houston remains healthy, though, he could have a chance to reach double-digit sacks in a full season.
Assuming the Jackson State product remains healthy for most of the season, I'm expecting him to log 38 tackles, nine sacks and 12 tackles for loss along with a forced fumble in the 2024 campaign. This would go a long way toward improving Detroit's pass-rush, which would also improve the production of the pass defense as a whole.
