Houston, former sixth round pick of the Detroit Lions, was phased off of the roster when the Browns sent veteran Za’Darius Smith up north at the trade deadline. After a promising rookie season where he racked up eight sacks, Houston has struggled to find the field over the last two years, registering just one sack in that span.

When the Cleveland Browns traded Za'Darius Smith and a 2026 seventh-round pick to the Detroit Lions for a 2025 fifth and a 2026 sixth-round pick, it left a hole on Jim Schwartz's depth chart on the edge.

Now, one of their pass rusher castoffs is heading to Cleveland. The Browns claimed former Lios pass rusher James Houston off of waivers, NFL Network reported on Wednesday. Houston was waived by the Lions earlier this week,

The Cleveland Browns have made a move ahead of Week 13 NFL action. On Wednesday in the late afternoon, the Browns decided to bring in a former Detroit Lions' linebacker and edge rusher. James Houston was claimed on waivers by Cleveland.