The Dallas Cowboys are signing former Detroit Lions linebacker James Houston, the team announced on social media Tuesday, July 22.
Houston, a fourth-year player, appeared in eight games for the Lions in 2024 before the team waived him on Nov. 26. Houston was claimed the next day by the Cleveland Browns, where he played in three regular-season games, but the Browns declined to offer him a contract for the upcoming season.
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The Lions originally drafted Houston in the sixth round of the 2022 draft, the second-to-last Lions pick in a fruitful draft that netted the team edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, star receiver Jameson Williams and All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph. Houston seemed on track to match the production of the rest of the Lions’ draft class, notching eight sacks in just seven games in his rookie season in 2022 and finishing second on the team in sacks to Hutchinson (9½) despite starting the season on the practice squad.
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Houston had trouble staying on the field, however. He was put on injured reserve after fracturing his ankle in a Week 2 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 17, 2023, putting him out for the rest of the 2023 season. He played in 11 total games in 2024 for the Lions and Browns but recorded only one sack, a steep decline from his rookie-year production.
Houston struggled to fit into the Lions’ defensive scheme in 2024, and was even a healthy scratch for three games early in the season. He’ll now be heading to a Dallas defense that gave up the fifth-most yards in the NFL in 2024.
You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Former Detroit Lions LB James Houston signs with Dallas Cowboys