The new union between the Carolina Panthers and outside linebacker Justin Houston has been all about the numbers.
A productive 34-year-old four-time Pro Bowler was signed to a chunky one-year, $7 million deal (with $6 million in guarantees) to help a defense with one proven pass rusher and just 35 sacks—the seventh-fewest—in 2022. Oh, and Houston even worked over fellow backer Chandler Wooten to get his No. 50 uniform.
And in case those numbers weren’t enough for ya, here’s another . . .
This past season, even in his 12th NFL campaign at 33 years of age, Houston ranked fifth in pressure percentage—which measures how many pressures a player records per snap. His 12.5-percent mark only sat behind the likes of San Francisco’s Nick Bosa (12.7 percent), Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson (13.8 percent), Buffalo’s Von Miller (14.5 percent) and Dallas’ Micah Parsons (17.4 percent).
Houston, per Pro Football Focus, collected a total of 39 pressures over 285 pass-rushing attempts. And of those 39, he got home for 9.5 sacks—which ranked 20th.
So, being that the Panthers were 26th in team pressure percentage, they’re hoping all of Houston’s numbers will add up in 2023.
