Lions' edge rusher James Houston still has a lot to prove to the Lions' coaching staff this summer
Detroit Lions' edge rusher James Houston has been one of the most popular players for Lions fans since he came out of nowhere against the Bills on Thanksgiving day in 2022. He had a huge eight sack rookie season and for the fans, that was it. They were sold on the idea that he was […]
Detroit Lions' edge rusher James Houston has been one of the most popular players for Lions fans since he came out of nowhere against the Bills on Thanksgiving day in 2022. He had a huge eight sack rookie season and for the fans, that was it. They were sold on the idea that he was the Lions number two guy opposite Aidan Hutchinson.
For the Lions themselves, it's always been a different story. While Houston showed he could be a pass rusher with phenomenal bend, the Lions want more out of him and he has yet to show he can handle more.
The pass rush show he put on in 2022 really hid the fact that he wasn't on the field a lot outside of pass rush sets and when he was, he struggled against the run and in coverage. Last summer the Lions were still trying to figure out what to do with him and really wanted him to learn some new moves as well. The goal has always been to make sure that he can be in a position where he doesn't come off the field.
“Yeah, I think, look we’re doing a lot with him at SAM linebacker when we’re in base defense and then certainly he’ll play some of that sub D-end or get a chance to on third down. So, we know he has some ability and craft, but we’re trying to really expand his horizons if you will." Lions head coach Dan Campbell said last August. "Man, if he can play some of this SAM backer, (Lions DL) Charles (Harris) is really the starter right now. It takes – man, he has to dive into the playbook. He has to know the calls. He has to understand all the adjustments to formations, things of that nature and that’s where once he grows, if he can get to that point, now he – potentially, he won't come off the field, but he has a long way to go before that happens."
That was last August. Once the season 2023 season started, Houston was not a starter in Week 1. He got the chance to start in Week 2, but got hurt early in the game. That stunted his growth and now as we head into 2024, the same questions are still there. Campbell was asked about Houston on Thursday and this is what he had to say:
"Well, I know this, he's in shape. You know he knows he's got to be able to handle the SAM linebacker position for us, and no different than what we just talked about, man, consistency. You know, we got to be able to trust that he's gonna do what he needs to do, whatever defense we call, he's gonna handle it mentally and we can trust that. And so, you know, we anticipate him taking another step forward. And then on top of that, you know, the sub game, he goes in at defensive end and some of the rush and just continue to work on his counter moves in the rush game. So, like, this will be a big camp for him. He knows that, and I know this. He's in good shape. He looks good, he feels good, and so we're excited to have back out there."
That's where it stands for Houston right now. He still needs to show the Lions' coaching staff that he can go out there and play SAM linebacker. In terms of learning counter moves, we know Houston has been putting in the work this offseason. One of the biggest things he did was attend BT Jordan's pass rush retreat with some of the biggest pass rushing superstars in the game.
There shouldn't be any doubt about Houston making the roster, but this will be a big summer for him to show that he can do more than just that. This is Houston's time to prove that he's that guy opposite Aidan Hutchinson. We believe he will.