Placing wide receiver Tre McBride on waivers opened up a spot on the 53-man roster that the Chicago Bears plan on filling with a familiar face.
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets the Bears have claimed outside linebacker/edge defender Lamarr Houston off waivers from the Houston Texans. Biggs’ report comes after John Fox told reporters he was unsure what the team would do with the roster spot in the wake of McBride’s release. Adding Houston to the roster would help bulk up a group of outside linebackers that has been depleted by injury.
Willie Young and Leonard Floyd began 2017 as the Bears’ starting outside linebackers, but both suffered season-ending injuries that have the Bears short on edge rushers. Young’s triceps injury and Floyd’s knee surgery will leave Chicago’s defense without its top two edge defenders for a combined 18 games. As it stands, the Bears have four defensive starters on injured reserve – none of whom are expected to return this season.
Houston, who played 26 games (and picked up nine sacks along the way) for the Bears in three seasons, looked on target to start the season with the Bears, but was injured in the preseason finale against the Cleveland Browns. The Bears let Houston go before the start of the regular season and cleared the roster spot. Houston signed with the Houston Texans and picked up a sack, forced fumble, recovered fumble, and touchdown in five games with the Texans. He played 68 percent of the defensive snaps on November 5 against the Indianapolis Colts, but saw those percentages dip in his next two games.
Houston could be in line for more playing time in his return to Chicago.