With defensive end Marcus Davenport likely done for the season with a torn triceps, could the Lions turn to James Houston?
"Well, I don't know that yet," Dan Campbell said Tuesday on 97.1 The Ticket. "I would tell you this: (Josh) Paschal's going to take on a much bigger load."
Paschal will be the primary defensive end opposite Aidan Hutchinson moving forward, Campbell said, with Levi Onwuzurike also mixing in at that position. As for Houston, the pass rusher who took the NFL by storm two years ago, it doesn't sound like a major opportunity awaits.
Campbell did say that "Houston could be a candidate" for a bigger role, but the Lions might prefer to elevate someone like Isaac Ukwu, Mitch Agude or Pat O'Connor from the practice squad. Ukwu was particularly impressive in the preseason, with three sacks in three games.
"We know we're going to need to bring in some reinforcements, for sure, just losing that body," Campbell said. "Davenport was playing at a high level. It hurts losing him, it does. He's been a force in there."
Houston has been scratched for two of the Lions' first three games. He only played three defensive snaps when he was active against the Bucs in Week 2. The Lions don't trust him to do much more than rush the passer, which ties their hands if they bring him to the 48-man roster on gameday.
Asked what Houston needs to do to make the sort of impact he did as a rookie, Campbell said, "Man, I think he just keeps working. There again, so much of it is, who do you sit if he comes? Everybody that we have up right now is playing at a pretty high level on defense and they all have a role between defense and special teams. That's kind of where it's been. As long as he just keeps working and when he gets his opportunity, make the most of them -- as with any player here."
The Lions tried to mold Houston into an outside linebacker after his explosive rookie season, before scratching that experiment in training camp this year and moving him back to D-end. He's a long way removed from his production in 2022, having played just 14 defensive snaps in two games since fracturing his ankle in Week 2 of last season.
Linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard did say two weeks ago that Houston remains in the mix "when it comes to the SAM" linebacker role, which might be another way for him to get on the field with Derrick Barnes also going down for a significant amount of time with a knee injury.
"We're doing some different things with Houston right now to kind of put him in the best position for James to go do what he does best," Sheppard said. "But James is still not out of the realm. He could very easily pop over at anytime and fill in at that SAM spot."
But even in that role, Houston is probably behind pure linebackers like Ben Niemann, who took on more snaps after Barnes' injury against the Cardinals, and Trevor Nowaske.
"It's why we have the depth that we have, the players that we've acquired," Campbell said. "Brad's done a hell of a job. We've always identified that depth is important, man. You gotta have it. So we have guys that we know are going to step up and do a hell of a job for us. They're ready for it. Everyone in this building knows, you are one play away, and it's your chance, your opportunity to help your team and showcase what you got."
