Bringing Back Lamarr Houston Would Make A Lot Of Sense......

Why bringing back Lamarr Houston would make sense for the Bears

Bringing back Lamarr Houston in 2018 would make a lot of sense for the Chicago Bears.

Matt Eurich - 15 hours ago



(Photo: Icon Sportswire, Getty)

Lamarr Houston made the most of his second opportunity with the Chicago Bears in 2017. Released on September 6 after he was placed on injured reserve just a few days prior, Houston eventually signed with the Houston Texans in early October. After just a handful of games with the team he was released in late November. The Bears were down an outside linebacker in the mid-point of the season when Leonard Floyd went down with an injury and claimed Houston off waivers on November 29.

Houston made his 2017 Bears debut in Week 13 and played a total of 231 snaps in the final five games of the year. In his five games with the Bears he recorded 10 tackles, four sacks and one pass deflection. By comparison, in five games with the Texans he recorded seven tackles and just one sack. Signed as one of Phil Emery's splash signings in 2014 on a five-year deal worth $35 million, Houston most notably tore his ACL while celebrating his first sack of the season that year.

In 2015 as an outside linebacker in Vic Fangio's system he appeared in all 16 games, recording 42 tackles and a career-high eight sacks. In Week 2 of the 2016 season he tore his other ACL, effectively ending his season. Chicago gave him opportunities last offseason before he suffered another injury in the preseason that led the team to move on from him. As the Bears head into the thick of the offseason, there is still a need at the outside linebacker position.

Chicago moved on from Pernell McPhee and Willie Young this offseason but have done very little to bolster the position in their absence. Chicago did re-sign Sam Acho to a two-year deal, but he offers more in terms of special teams and being a run-stopper than applying consistent pressure to the quarterback. The team also signed former San Francisco 49ers pass-rusher Aaron Lynch to a one-year deal but he has struggled to stay on the field the last two seasons. Lastly, Chicago opted not to take an outside linebacker until the sixth round of this year's draft in Utah's Kylie Fitts. There is some hope he can develop into a situational pass-rusher early in his career, but he too has battled injuries the last couple of seasons.

Houston likely will not command a massive contract considering he will turn 31 later this summer. He did reportedly meet with the Oakland Raiders earlier this offseason but did not sign with the team.

The veteran linebacker has proven to be an effective pass-rusher in Fangio's scheme and played better than many expected in his second stint with the team last year. Per Pro Football Focus, in addition to the four sacks Houston notched as a Bear he also recorded one quarterback hit and 12 quarterback hurries after notching just seven hurries during his time with the Texans.

The veteran pass-rusher would not be asked to be a full-time starter for Chicago but he would help give the team some much-needed depth and veteran leadership in 2018.

Author/Matt Eurich @matteurich