Bears linked to All-Pro defensive end Justin Houston |
Now that the Bears' third preseason game is over, and one that many call the dress rehearsal of the summer, it is time for this team to focus on a short week ahead before getting down to business before the regular season. At this point, the Bears are confident in their starters' work, and now it is about getting their roster crunch guys as many reps as possible heading into the season.
Austin Booker is one of those roster crunch guys, but unlike the rest, Booker is guaranteed a spot on this team and could be the Bears secondary pass rusher alongside Montez Sweat. Given how he played this preseason, you can understand why the Bears are potentially giving him the opportunity. However, as a rookie, there are still plenty of questions surrounding his potential. Knowing that the Bears will continue to monitor the free agent market as Yannick Ngakoue still seems destined to return to Chicago at some point. However, the longer Ngakoue remains unsigned, the less likely he will find a new home come week one, which could shift the Bears attention elsewhere. If that is the case, Justin Houston remains one of the best free agent options on the market and has been hearing his name linked to the Bears for several weeks. After Matt Eberflus reported that the Bears were trying to land Matthew Judon, it's clear that this team is still looking for more pass-rushing help before the start of the season. At this point in the offseason, there aren't many options remaining, but Houston is an option that could be an under-the-radar get for Chicago. Not only is Houston a long-time veteran with 112 career sacks to his name, but he has multiple connections to the Bears coaching staff, including Eberflus, who he played with in Indianapolis when he was the Defensive Coordinator. Ideally, you never want a team to pursue a player approaching 35 years old, but Houston is one of those rare cases where age doesn't matter. He continues to produce at a high level, brings with him tons of veteran leadership that he can pass on to the young guys, and, most importantly, would come at a lower price for a shorter-term commitment. Not only does Houston have a connection with Eberflus going back to his Colts days, but he also has a connection with Ryan Poles, who was working for the Kansas City Chiefs when Houston was a part of that defense. In a league where connections matter, the connection with Eberflus can't be overlooked, especially considering how he played in his system. During his two seasons with Eberflus calling the shots in Indianapolis, Houston was a massive part of that success. He racked up 11 sacks in his first season in that scheme and followed it up with eight sacks the next season. The Eberflus system works for Houston and is one he has succeeded in, which could be a win-win for the Bears. However, a hamstring injury limited his production in 2023. It landed him on the IR less than nine games into the season, raising concerns about whether he is healthy enough to make a massive impact. Arguably better suited as a rotational player at this point in his career, Houston still needs to be accounted for, as he recorded at least one sack in every game he saw at least ten plus sacks in during the 2022 season with the Ravens. Looking back on that season, Houston saw a ton of snaps as he amassed 17 quarterback hits, seven tackles-for-loss, an interception, a forced fumble, and 9.5 sacks in 14 games. Not bad for someone that many consider a rotational piece at this point, and if that is the production he can give the Bears now, their defense will be tough to contain. Regardless of what the Bears choose to do from here on out, the bottom line is they won't hesitate to add depth whenever they see fit. Houston is a depth piece that helps address this team's needs on a short-term basis, but it is still a massive upgrade over many of the other options the Bears have.
