Lions Activate James Houston, Waive Julian Okwara
The Detroit Lions are returning outside linebacker James Houston to the active roster, the team announced Thursday.
In a corresponding move, the Lions waived Julian Okwara ahead of their divisional round game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Okwara has been inactive for eight games this season.
In four seasons with the Lions, Okwara has amassed nine sacks and 54 tackles in 38 games played.
Houston will be seeing his first action since Week 2, when he suffered a fractured ankle against the Seattle Seahawks.
The second-year defender could potentially be a bolt of electricity for the defense, as he was last season.
"I’m ready to get out there." Houston said, via the Detroit Free Press. "It looks like it’s fun. They’re winning and the whole city is behind them, so I want to be out there."
After spending the beginning of last season on the practice squad, Houston was elevated for the team’s Thanksgiving matchup against the Buffalo Bills. He was soon signed to the active roster after, and finished with eight sacks over the final seven games.
Houston recorded one tackle and one quarterback hit in two games this season before suffering an ankle injury.
The Jackson State product first returned to practice on Dec. 28. Dan Campbell stated Tuesday that he was steadily improving over the past two weeks.
Detroit has gotten an uptick in production from their pass rush in recent weeks, particularly from defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. The second-year rusher from Michigan has produced 7 sacks in his last three games, including two in Detroit’s Wild Card win over the Los Angeles Rams.
Hutchinson now leads the league in pressures with 110 and had nine against the Rams on Sunday.
The Lions and Buccaneers will square off at 3 p.m. Sunday at Ford Field, with the game being televised on NBC.
