James

Houston

Houston will work in as a situational pass rusher for the Browns over the last six games of the season. The Browns will also have his rights for 2025 on the last year of his rookie deal. Houston has just one sack this year, but perhaps a change of scenery will help him get back to his 2022 form.

Houston had eight sacks as a rookie in 2022, but just one this year and saw his role decrease with the addition of Za’Darius Smith. He ends his Lions tenure with just 298 total defensive snaps. He should draw interest as a pass-rush specialist considering he’s only 26, but the last two years have hardly been impressive.

Nothing to see here for one of the healthier teams to enter Week 1. The big headline from this game is the return of quarterback Matthew Stafford to Detroit.

Reynolds was an exclusive rights free agent this offseason and will now return to battle for a spot on the team’s 53-man roster. The former UDFA has stuck around on the Lions for the last three seasons after previous stops in Washington and Jacksonville and has totaled 119-511-1 on the ground while adding another 22 catches for 218 yards since 2021. His contributions on special teams have been valuable in his efforts to make the team each of the last three seasons and will likely play a role in deciding whether or not he’s on the team in 2024.

Gardner-Johnson suffered a torn pectoral in a Week 2 against the Seahawks. Lions’ edge rusher James Houston was also placed on IR. Gardner-Johnson was a key addition to revamping the Lions’ secondary and they have hopes that he’ll return later in the season.

The timetable for Houston’s absence could be longer, as the second-year pass rusher is set to undergo more tests to determine whether or not he’ll need surgery. Houston was a sixth-round pick of the 2022 NFL Draft but surprised everybody as a rookie when he emerged to total eight sacks which was second on the team to rookie Aidan Hutchinson (9.5). We’ll likely know more on his status once the results of his tests come back.

A first-team All SWAC player in 2021, Houston -- a transfer after three years at Florida -- recorded 70 tackles (52 solo), 24.5 tackles for loss (2nd SWAC/t-2nd FCS), 16.5 sacks (2nd SWAC/t-2nd FCS), seven forced fumbles (1st in SWAC and FCS), two fumble recoveries, one interception, and eight quarterback hurries. He’ll be a nice depth piece for the Detroit defense.

Houston’s dirty hit on Dare Odeyingbo (he launched himself on a block on a return) also led to a brawl, as Vandy HC Derek Mason stalked onto the field and began screaming at Florida coaches. Gator HC Dan Mullen returned fire and looked like he wanted to charge across the field to fight Mason. At halftime, Mullen didn’t address the incident outside of insinuating that the SEC should look into the officials. Because this ejection occurred in the first half, Houston won’t miss additional time beyond this game.

Houston was one of Florida’s handful of players suspended for credit card fraud. He’s been off the field for some time. Houston spent his true freshman season suspended and away from the team, and he missed the year before -- his senior season in high school -- with a torn ACL. Houston was a three-star recruit.