By: Charlie Friar Twitter: @charliefriar

As we stand right now, it appears Justin Houston has options. That’s significant news because it means teams recognize that the 32-year-old edge rusher has plenty of value left, and it’s not just speculation. 

Houston, We Have Value 

Houston hasn’t made the pro bowl since 2015, but he’s still been effective. He’s played in all 16 games the past two seasons with Indianapolis. His numbers in 2020 were also more than serviceable: 

• 25 Pressures

• 8 Sacks
• 8 Tackles For Loss
• 2 Safeties

While he’s far from his Pro-Bowl prime, he could be a critical piece to several teams. 

Current Chatter

The chatter around Houston has been active recently. He’s already visited one of the most edge-needy teams, the Ravens, but left Baltimore without a deal. Houston has also been tied to Houston (that was fun to write). But that perfect name union doesn’t seem to be happening. 

Colts Owner, Jim Irsay, has also recently told reporters that Houston could be back in Indianapolis. Irsay felt confident in the roster being filled out through the draft, but specifically mentioned Houston as a guy they’d like to bring back. That could certainly be the case. 

Indianapolis may be the most likely spot for Houston because that’s familiar to him, but let’s ignore that for now. There are plenty of other teams that could use Houston’s services. 

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Just because Houston left Baltimore without a deal, doesn’t mean they’re done with each other. As we wrote about in our piece for Olivier Vernon, the Ravens need edge help. In free agency they lost pass rushers Yannick Ngakoue and Matt Judon. That’s a lot of veteran leadership gone, and they take with them a total of 9 sacks from last season. 

Baltimore will also be looking to maintain/enhance their defensive unit. The Ravens ranked 4th with a 26.8% pressure percentage, but only ranked 14th in sacks. The sack total is surprisingly low given the Ravens posted the league’s highest blitz rate at 44.1%. 

The scheme the Ravens offer would work well for Houston and his 12 QB hits. Baltimore has to get to the quarterback if they’re going to keep blitzing at that rate.

Only issue with the Ravens, Baltimore reportedly doesn’t want to sign another UFA until after the May 3rd deadline. That’s when compensatory picks will no longer be negated for signing such players. So Indy could nab Houston before that date, which it has been reported that Houston wants to sign before the draft on April 29th. 

MINNESOTA VIKINGS 

The Vikings have a lot of work to do to their defense this off-season. While they plan to get Danielle Hunter back from injury in 2021, their pass rush was just as inefficient as their secondary last year. 

At the end of the 2020 the Vikings found themselves with the 32nd-ranked pass rush, according to PFF. The team also ranked dead last with a 21.6% pressure rate. To make matters worse, the Vikings only had one player record more than 25 pressures.

Minnesota needs help. They’ve already signed CB Patrick Peterson to have a veteran presence in the secondary, and now they can get their veteran in the box. If the Vikings really want to make a run at the division, they’ll need to do everything they can to improve the defense that ranked 25th with a 0.099 EPA/play last season. 

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 

PFF ranked the Seattle pass rush 26th to end the season, but that’s a little deceiving. Seattle’s defensive unit really came on later in the year, and finished strong. Now it’s time to continue that late season effort. 

Carlos Dunlap helped tremendously when joined Seattle, and now that he’s back the team needs to fill the other side. Houston’s 25 pressures will help Seattle’s 13th ranked pressure percentage (24.1%). 

Another reason Seattle could be a fit: draft picks. The Seahawks only have 3 picks in this draft. Yes, you read that right, 3. So, if they want to improve that average pass rush and defend their NFC West title they need to go through free agency and grab a guy like Houston. 

Be ready to see Houston sign somewhere soon. Again, reports say he wants to land somewhere before the draft. Teams now have about a week to act.

The post Best Landing Spots For Justin Houston appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Austin Ebersole (@EbersoleAustin)

For ten seasons now, Justin Houston has been reeking havoc in backfields and destroying game plans. With 97.5 career sacks, multiple Pro Bowl selections, and a sack title, Houston would be a great addition for multiple teams this off-season who are looking to get after the quarterback more often.

At age 32, Houston still has plenty left in the tank, and there’s no doubt that he will easily reach the century mark in sacks next season wherever he ends up. Looking ahead, NFL free agents can begin signing their next contract on March 17th. Let’s look at a few spots where the star pass rusher could end up.

• Kansas City Chiefs

Is a reunion in the cards for the premier pass rusher? The Kansas City Chiefs might be the perfect landing spot for Houston. With the team coming off back-to-back Superbowl appearances, Justin may want his chance to help get his former team back to the big game for a third season in a row.

Even though it was the Chiefs who decided to release Houston after the 2018 season, they were reminded in Superbowl LV the importance of having a strong pass rush. They finished the season with 32 team sacks which was 19th best across the NFL. By adding Houston’s 2020 sack numbers to that total, the Chiefs would’ve finished in the top 12 of the league.

The biggest hurdle that the Chiefs may face if Houston wants to return to Arrowhead would be the impact he would have against their cap space. They are projected to be $18 million over the cap according to Spotrac, but Houston may be willing to come back on a team friendly deal if it means he gets a chance to finally kiss the Lombardi.

• Jacksonville Jaguars

Could it be possible that Jaguars new Head Coach Urban Meyer wants to come in and make a big free agent splash right away? The Jaguars are expected to have the most cap space which gives them the luxury of going out and signing whoever wants to come play in the Sunshine State.

Going to the Jaguars may not give Houston the best odds of playing in next years Superbowl, but there’s no doubt he would still get paid. In 2019, he signed a 2-year, $24 million deal with the Colts. If he’s looking for a similar deal in terms of money, the Jags are one of the best team fits for his services.

To sweeten the pot for the Jaguars, there’s always a chance that Justin wants to try and finish out the remainder of his career closer to home. After being born and raised in the state of Georgia, and playing for the Bulldogs in college, his hometown of Statesboro is only 174 miles from Jacksonville. A quick trip down I-95 gets his family and friends to the stadium.

• Indianapolis Colts

Now that the Colts have their next signal caller in Carson Wentz, one would have to believe that this team is now a true contender in the AFC. To win in the NFL, you have to be led by your quarterback and by the guys who get after the quarterback. Justin may see Wentz to Indy as a perfect reason to stay put.

For Indianapolis, they have the means to get a new deal done with Houston to keep him in town if they want him. They are projected to have over $50 million available this off-season, and after recording eight sacks for them in 2020 and another 11 sacks in 2019, Houston was worth every dollar that he received from them.

After being led to the playoffs in 2020 by their top-10 defense, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Colts bring Houston back on a one year deal. He’s played great so far in his tenure with the Colts, and keeping him on the same line as DeForest Buckner gives them one of the leagues best bookends.

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Your Superbowl LV winning Tampa Bay Buccaneers may also be an ideal landing spot for Houston. We have all heard by now that Bruce Arians wants to “go for two,” but they have some interesting choices to make this off-season in regards to resigning their own players.

With Shaq Barrett hoping to get paid this off-season to set his family up for life, the Bucs may potentially have an opening on their defensive line. Tampa Bay may not have a lot of money to play with after trying to “keep the band together,” but this could be Houston’s best chance at winning a Superbowl.

If money is all that Justin Houston wants with his next contract, Jacksonville and Indianapolis are his two best landing spots. But if he’s willing to take a pay cut and strengthen his odds of playing in a Superbowl, Kansas City and Tampa Bay are where he may end up.

The post Top Landing Spots for Justin Houston appeared first on Pro Football Mania.