The Detroit Lions made a surprising move on Tuesday, waiving edge rusher and former sixth-round pick James Houston.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler broke the news, and Lions head coach Dan Campbell later confirmed the decision. The move raised eyebrows given the Lions’ current needs at the edge rusher position.
Addressing the decision, Campbell explained why the team opted to place Houston on waivers, a move that will likely see him claimed by another team.
“It just didn’t… we had James up for a number of games… just never quite worked out,” Campbell said, according to Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News. “Wish him the best of luck, and sometimes, you just need a fresh start, and this can be great for him.”
Speculation about Houston’s future in Detroit began on Monday after he posted a cryptic tweet, hinting that his time with the team might be over.
Houston burst onto the scene during his rookie season, recording eight sacks in just seven games. However, he struggled to build on that success, managing only one sack since—a mark he reached in one of his eight appearances this season. Houston had played in two games in 2023 before suffering a season-ending injury.
Despite his inability to replicate his rookie-year performance, the decision to release Houston comes as a surprise. The Lions are currently short-handed at edge rusher, with Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport both sidelined. Their only addition so far has been Za’Darius Smith.
Houston had been playing regular snaps since Hutchinson’s Week 6 injury but saw his usage drop significantly in Week 12, logging just four snaps—the second-lowest total in any game he was active for this season.
At 26 years old, Houston’s age and potential make him an appealing option for teams hoping that a change of scenery can reignite his early success.
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