The Cleveland Browns are adding reinforcements to their defense, adding James Houston and Cameron Thomas to their pass-rush rotation.
The Browns claimed both Houston and Thomas off waivers on Wednesday. To make room, Cleveland released Elerson Smith, who had appeared in two games with the Browns.
Houston and Thomas come with upside as young players with a sprinkling of starting experience. The Lions parted ways with Houston on Tuesday.
“It just never quite worked out,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “And look, wish him the best of luck, and sometimes you just need a fresh start and this could be great for him, so wish him the best.”
Houston, 26, was a sixth-round pick of the Lions in 2022. He notched eight sacks as a rookie but has just one since. Houston played on just 23% of the Lions defensive snaps this season and got further buried in the rotation after Detroit traded for former Browns pass-rusher Za’Darius Smith.
Thomas, a former third-round pick of the Cardinals, has just three career sacks. He’s appeared in 36 career games with three starts. He was released by the Kansas City Chiefs this week.
Myles Garrett Continues to be Superstar for Browns
Thomas and Houston will look to earn a place in the rotation to play alongside reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, who continues to produce at an elite level.
Garrett gets the most attention in the league when he lines up. But he still has collected 10 sacks this season, putting him third in the NFL, just 1.5 sacks behind leader Trey Hendrickson.
Garrett is coming off one of his most dominant performances to date, sacking Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson three times in a 24-19 win.
” I wanted to make it known that I’m the guy, I’m the number one edge defender,” Garrett said. “That was a statement I was intending to make, and I think I made.”
The Browns have stumbled to a 3-8 record, with their playoff hopes hanging by a thread. However, before the game against the Steelers, Garrett delivered a powerful message, urging his teammates to dig deep and find their own motivation to perform at their best.
“Find your why. If you want to go out and get a new contract, you want to play for this team, you want to play for another team, you want to play for family, you are playing for a loved one, for somebody you lost,” Garrett said. “Whatever it is, go out there and find it. Go out there and go get it. It’s out there for the taking. Take this opportunity, take a deep breath and capture the moment.”
Myles Garrett, Browns Take on Standout Rookie Bo Nix
GettyHead coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos talks with quarterbacks Jarrett Stidham and Bo Nix against the Green Bay Packers.
The Browns are looking to string together wins for the first time this season as they head to Denver to take on the Broncos.
Rookie Bo Nix has surged after a slow start to his NFL career and is gaining ground on Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels for Offensive Rookie of the Year. Nix has passed for 2,548 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions this season.
“I think they’re playing very, very efficiently. He’s making great decisions with the ball, not turning it over,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said on Wednesday. “He’s taking shots to Courtland Sutton, which is a very difficult cover for anybody. They’re running the ball; they have multiple guys that can get the ball to and then he’s a very good scrambler. He’s outstanding off schedule. So just what they’re doing is very efficient.”
The Browns are a 5.5-point underdog for the matchup, per ESPN BET.
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