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As has been the case nearly every offseason since his departure from the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019, there have been some rumblings that there could be a way for pass rusher Justin Houston to come back to the club.
But that won’t be the case, as was made official on Thursday. Houston will return to play for the Baltimore Ravens on a one-year deal — just as he did for the 2021 season.
Welcome back @JHouston50❗️
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) July 7, 2022
We’ve agreed to terms on a 1-year deal❗️ pic.twitter.com/VoB58dJodb
The Chiefs selected Houston, 33, with the third-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. In eight seasons with the Chiefs, he started 96 games, compiling more than 350 tackles and 78.5 sacks. Houston came close to breaking the NFL’s single-season sack record as a Chief in 2014, when he finished with 22.0 on the year.
Following his 2019 release, Houston joined the Indianapolis Colts for two seasons before signing with Baltimore in 2021. In the three seasons away from the Chiefs, Houston has averaged 7.8 sacks a season, and he has registered a total of 47 quarterback hits. In two career games against Kansas City, Houston has six tackles and a sack.
Just as the Chiefs did with pass rusher Melvin Ingram, the Ravens used the unrestricted free agent tag on Houston — except for Baltimore, it resulted in the player staying with the team. Ingram chose to instead sign with the Miami Dolphins, leaving the Chiefs a persisting need for a veteran pass rusher.
We now know it won’t be Houston, but other names, such as Carlos Dunlap, Jason Pierre-Paul or perhaps even Robert Quinn remain options (more on that here).
Poll
So... what now?
This poll is closed
-
22%
Dunlap
(153 votes) -
16%
Pierre-Paul
(114 votes) -
36%
Quinn
(253 votes) -
10%
Someone else
(73 votes) -
14%
I’m good with the DE room as is.
(98 votes)
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