Pass rusher James Houston, who fizzled out in Detroit, is getting another opportunity—this time with the Dallas Cowboys.
According to several reports, the Dallas Cowboys are signing former Detroit Lions pass rusher James Houston.
Houston was the Lions’ sixth-round pick back in 2022. Though he did not originally make the team’s 53-man roster, he stuck around on the practice squad. And after causing so much trouble to Detroit’s offensive tackles in practice, the Lions had no choice but to call him up to the active roster late during his rookie season. What followed was an incredible end to the year. Houston exploded for 8.0 sacks in just seven game appearances. His future looked extremely bright.
Unfortunately, his development was stunted after he lost most of his second season to a fracture to his ankle during a special teams play. He lasted just two games that season.
When he came back, there was still plenty of hope for his development, but he struggled to make the adjustments in order to become a more well-rounded, potential three-down player. He didn’t fit Detroit’s SAM linebacker role, and what remaining games he did play in, his pass rushing skills never returned to the form of his rookie season. In 2024, he made eight game appearances and tallied just a single sack. In November, the Lions waived Houston. He would go on to spend three games with the Browns to close out the year.
Now he joins a Dallas Cowboys team with some impressive defensive ends, including Micah Parsons, Dante Fowler Jr., and second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku. He’ll have to make a quick impression to stick around.