The Detroit Lions are riding high after one of the most successful seasons in their franchise's history. Detroit came so close to the Super Bowl that they could taste it. Now, they are ready to attack the 2024 season with renewed vigor.
They got the 2024 NFL season off to a great start during the offseason. General manager Brad Holmes aggressively addressed the team's biggest need — the defensive secondary. The Lions added Amik Robertson in free agency and traded for Carlton Davis III from the Buccaneers. They also invested their first two draft picks in cornerbacks, adding Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. These players join a secondary that already includes second-year standout Brian Branch and ball hawking free safety Kerby Joseph.
However, there is one important position group that the Lions hardly addressed in either free agency or the 2024 NFL Draft. The Lions desperately need a reliable pass rusher to pair with Aidan Hutchinson.
You can say they haven't tried to find a solution. During free agency, the Lions signed journeyman Marcus Davenport to a one-year contract. Davenport comes with first-round pedigree, but injuries have hampered his NFL career. He is a cheap upside play, but not someone who the Lions should single-handedly depend upon for production.
Detroit also has a handful of rotational role players who have made up the bulk of the team's pass rush the past few years. Josh Pascal and John Cominsky are both tweener players who can line up at edge rusher or kick inside for some interior pass rush. They will also try out CFL superstar Mathieu Betts, who has some Aidan Hutchinson vibes himself. These are all valuable players, but none of them have the realistic upside of becoming an every-down starter in 2024.
Finally, there's James Houston. He may be more of a situational player, but he has the potential to become the team's best pass rusher this season.
Who is James Houston?
James Houston was a relatively unheralded player in college who became a diamond in the rough for the Lions.
Houston was recruited by the University of Florida to play linebacker. Things didn't pan out with the Gators, so Houston transferred to Jackson State and played for head coach Deion Sanders. It was coach Sanders who saw Houston's potential as a pass rusher.
According to Jeff Risdon of Lions Wire, Houston pitched himself to Sanders as an off-ball linebacker. However, Sanders was quick to guide Houston in the right direction.
The following quotes come from an episode of Coach Prime on YouTube, which aired in 2022.
“I know the talent that I have,” Houston said. “And y’all have put a cap on my talent, here. I know exactly what I can do.”
Coach Prime gave Houston a blunt response in return.
“James, let me tell you something,” Sanders retorted. “If you were able to do that, you would have done that, and you would have never came here. If you was that dude that you think you are at linebacker, you would have never been here.”
It turns out that Coach Prime was right. In his final collegiate season, Houston racked up 16.5 sacks as an edge rusher. His ability to rush off the edge and play some off-ball linebacker made him a tempting prospect for the Lions, who picked him in the sixth round.
Can James Houston provide consistent pass rush for the Lions opposite Aidan Hutchinson in 2024?
Houston has proved that he has what it takes to succeed as an NFL pass rusher. However, he hasn't mastered the most important ability yet — availability.
Houston put himself on the map in 2022 when he logged a whopping eight sacks and one forced fumble in only seven games played. In fact, according to Pro Football Focus, Houston managed this production only 92 pass rush snaps. It should go without saying, but I'll spell it out for you — this is absolutely absurd efficiency!
The problem is it only came in a handful of games.
Houston's 2023 season was cut short after he suffered a pedal ankle fracture in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks. He underwent tightrope surgery, which ended his season.
If we're being optimistic, this injury gave Houston a chance to catch up on the mental side of the game. That's why Lions fans are optimistic that Houston can have a larger impact if he can return healthy in 2024.
James Houston has a chance to become a dangerous situational pass rusher for the Lions as long as he can stay healthy. If Detroit gets what they're hoping for from Houston, their defense will become all the more ferocious.
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