It's an exciting time to be a football fan because NFL free agency will officially begin this week. The legal tampering window starts on Monday, before the market officially opens two days later, meaning it won't be long before players are finding new homes with each of the 32 franchises.
Detroit Lions fans have been focused on their own free agents, however, it's always interesting to see what some of the team's former players are up to. While some ex-Lions' futures are more than secure with their current employers, others must find new job opportunities this spring — including one veteran defender who was just kicked to the curb.
Lions News: Browns Let DE James Houston Hit Free Agency
On Friday, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that the Cleveland Browns "are not tendering pass-rusher James Houston" before free agency. The 26-year-old defender will become an unrestricted free agent and can negotiate with teams beginning on Monday.
The #Browns are not tendering pass-rusher James Houston, who they had claimed this past season from the #Lions. He has flashed, especially when he had eight sacks as a rookie.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2025
Houston, 26, was drafted 217th overall by the Lions in 2022. The former Jackson State defender made his NFL debut with authority, racking up a whopping 8.0 sacks with 11 solo tackles during a rookie campaign that saw him make only seven appearances.
Unfortunately, Houston never came close to achieving similar heights after that season. A combination of injuries and lackluster production saw the Lions release the 6-foot-1, 245-pound pass rusher after recording only five solo tackles and a sack in eight 2024 appearances.
Houston's stay in the unemployment line only lasted a day as he was quickly claimed by the Browns off of waivers. He ended up making three appearances for Cleveland, but it didn't amount to much as he failed to register a single statistic while being limited to 36 snaps (25 defense, 11 special teams) in three games.
It'll be interesting to see what sort of attention Houston will garner in the open market. Even though his career has hit a rough patch lately, it was less than three years ago that he averaged over a sack per game, so it wouldn't be surprising if at least one desperate team still believed in his potential.
Lions fans will have a better idea of what Houston's offseason prospects look like when NFL free agency officially begins on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET.