Brian Schottenheimer Sends Strong Message on Why Cowboys Kept James Houston

To the delight of Dallas Cowboys fans, James Houston made the team.

First-year Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer opened up about his decision to keep Houston on the team’s 53-man roster.

Houston, the sixth-round pick of the Detroit Lions in the 2022 NFL Draft who spent last year between Detroit and the Cleveland Browns, caught on with the Cowboys on a two-year contract just before training camp opened.

Houston is one of six defensive ends to make the Cowboys roster, including holdout Micah Parsons, which means there still will be competition for Houston to get on the field.

Why Did The Cowboys Keep James Houston On Their Roster?

Parsons’ absence, for starters, necessitated the move to sign Houston, whose contract was only announced July 22.

But make no mistake, Houston earned his spot on the roster by posting nine tackles and one sack and impressing fans and the Dallas coaching staff alike.

So when asked why Houston was worthy of a roster spot, Schottenheimer minced no words.

“The ability to rush the passer is such an important part of our game,” Schottenheimer said. “James has been pretty much unblockable in most competitive, padded situations whatever it is — whether it’s scrimmages, preseason games, our padded practices. That jumps out at you.”

That’s not to say that Houston will make Parsons an afterthought, since the latter is a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, who perennially among the favorites to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

But it did make Houston worthy of a roster spot, which SI Cowboys writer Tyler Reed spelled out, as well.

“Houston was credited with four hurries and one sack during the preseason,” Reed wrote before cutdowns Monday. “However, just watching his highlights from those three games, it’s easy to say that he is more than just those numbers and was a constant disruptor along the defensive front.

“Given his preseason performance, Houston should absolutely make the regular season roster.”

What Is James Houston’s Role on the Cowboys?

It’s safe to assume Houston will be playing special teams for the Cowboys, since he has 165 special-teams snaps in his previous three seasons.

But Houston is a bona fide pass rusher, who had eight sacks in just seven games in his rookie season with the Lions. But a fractured ankle cost him all but two games in his second year, 2023, and he only had one sack in 11 games a year ago while battling a bone bruise in his knee, yet still earned a 56.4 grade rushing the passer from Pro-Football Focus.

So the Cowboys are banking on Houston finding that first-year form, since he is likely to be on the field when the Cowboys defense is, especially the longer Parsons is holding out.

With Parsons no closer to a new contract than he was when training camp opened, and Dallas opening its season three before the rest of the league, Houston is likely to get a sizable number of reps against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1 on Sept. 4.

If he can make plays, Houston will play more as an EDGE rusher, just as he did during the preseason.