Dallas Cowboys linebacker James Houston (center) walks between drills with linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (left) during a training camp practice on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, in Oxnard, Calif.
Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News
OXNARD, Calif. — Jadeveon Clowney led the Cowboys in sacks last season with 8 ½. It was a significant number considering who the Cowboys had and didn’t have (Micah Parsons) on the roster.
Clowney wasn’t re-signed in the offseason, and this week he inked a deal with the Houston Texans, a team that made him the No. 1 overall pick in 2014.
The player who was second to Clowney in sacks in 2025 wasn’t traded or cut in the offseason. He was left on the roster, but most likely won’t start and is part of a rotation of players being asked to rush the passer.
Article continues below this ad
Houston finished with 5 ½ sacks last year. He also had a career-high 13 quarterback hits. The sack total is the second-most of his career — he had eight in his rookie season with the Detroit Lions.
While Donovan Ezeiruaku and Rashan Gary are getting first-team reps at outside linebacker in the new 3-4 scheme, Houston is right behind them making plays.
Unofficially, Houston has three sacks in five training camp practices. He continues to use a variety of moves he learned from Clowney and Parsons to help in his game.
Houston isn’t changing his approach going into the 2026 season with new defensive coordinator Christian Parker and defensive line coach Marcus Dixon.
Article continues below this ad
“I try not to do things like that just because it’s a process every year,” Houston said. “You got to put in the same work. You’re always trying to get better, you’re always trying to improve, but the work doesn’t change. So the approach isn’t really too much different. It’s always trying to get better as [much] as I possibly can. My goal has always been a sack a game. That’s going to be it until I’m done playing.”
It’s easy to say Houston is a forgotten man around the Cowboys. In the offseason, the Cowboys tried to obtain Maxx Crosby in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders. The Cowboys traded a 2027 fourth-round pick for Gary. With the scheme change, moving from a 4-3 to a 3-4 alignment, several pass rushers switched positions.
Sam Williams, Marist Liufau, Houston and Ezeiruaku moved from defensive end to outside linebacker.
For Houston, the switch wasn’t a problem.
Houston has also played in a 3-4 scheme and isn’t afraid to rush on the outside. There was a sequence in training camp practice where he made a spin move past left tackle Tyler Guyton to reach the quarterback.
Article continues below this ad
On another play, Houston used his quickness to beat the tackle, which prompted quarterback Sam Howell to throw the ball into the ground, knowing this pass play was dead.
“Yeah, James has a lot of just natural pass rush ability,” Parker said. “He’s low cut. He’s not tall, but he has a long torso. He’s low cut, so he can make those moves. He can get his foot in the ground and make counters very quickly. He’s very aggressive to rush. And for his size, he does have a physical capacity to him. So we like his urgency.”
Houston’s work in training camp is another example of him taking advantage of his opportunities.
“I think it was just hard work. Finally getting the opportunity to get back on the field,” Houston said. “I think that’s just a combination of things that went on. Micah leaving, just giving me that opportunity. I think just all those combination of things kind of allowed me to just get on the field a little bit more and show what I have.”
The 2025 season was difficult for the Cowboys. They finished with 35 sacks, tied for 26th in the NFL. Houston doesn’t want to live through that nightmare of a season again.
Article continues below this ad
“It was pretty tough,” he said. “The defense just wasn’t doing as well as we thought we should have. It was pretty rough.”
Moving forward, as attention on the pass rush goes toward Gary and Ezeiruaku, don’t forget about Houston and what he provides.
“I think that’s the one thing that we try to emphasize, that get off on the ball, closing that space between you and the tackler,” Parker said. “You and the guard, whoever’s blocking you on that given [play] and [the] play is critical in terms of making them uncomfortable. And he already has that mindset.”