Lions Waive James Houston

Lions parting ways with 2022 sixth-round pick.

Detroit Lions linebacker James Houston (41). / Junfu Han/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

James Houston burst onto the scene with a strong start to his career in 2022, but struggled to find his footing in the following two seasons.

Now, his tenure with the Detroit Lions is done. Houston was waived by the team on Tuesday. Because he is in his third NFL season, he will first be subject to waivers before hitting free agency.

Houston had played in eight of the team's 11 games this season, alternating between active and healthy scratch early in the year. He stepped into a bigger role after the season-ending injury to Aidan Hutchinson in Week 6, but struggled to assert himself amidst Detroit's crop of edge rushers.

Now, with the addition of Za'Darius Smith and emergence of others such as Josh Paschal, the Lions have parted ways with the Jackson State product. His time in Detroit ends after 17 career games, where he totaled nine sacks, 21 total tackles and eight tackles for loss.

"It just didn't (work out), it just didn't," said coach Dan Campbell Tuesday. "We had James up for a number of games, came back off the injury and got back and just never quite worked out. Look, wish him the best of luck, and sometimes you just need a fresh start. So, wish him the best."

The #Detroit Lions are releasing pass rusher James Houston, per sources.

Houston had eight sacks as a rookie in 2022 but has been in and out of the Detroit lineup since then. pic.twitter.com/rDJiWTtxn4

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) November 26, 2024

Houston originally came to Detroit as a sixth-round pick in the 2022 Draft out of Jackson State. He did not make the team's roster out of training camp as a rookie, and was placed on the practice squad. The defender made his NFL debut on Thanksgiving that year, notching two sacks and earning his way onto the active roster against the Buffalo Bills.

That was the start of an exceptional stretch for Houston, who finished with eight sacks in seven games as a rookie. However, he struggled when the team experimented with him in a new role as an outside linebacker.

Houston missed most of the 2023 campaign with an ankle injury, and once again struggled to stand out in a new role this past training camp. The result was the team utilizing him more in a traditional defensive end role, but he was at the bottom of the depth chart.