DeAndre

Houston-Carson

A special teams ace who joined the team just two weeks ago, Houston-Carson’s time with the Ravens was over before it began. The 30-year-old safety spent last season with the Bears and should catch on with another team at some point in the season. With 94 career games under his belt, Houston-Carson can provide added depth to any secondary and has ample special teams experience.

Houston-Carson has played his entire career in Chicago, appearing in 94 games with nine starts. He brings a veteran presence to a relatively young Baltimore safety room and should continue operating in a depth role in the secondary while contributing as a special teams ace.

Houston-Carson entered 2021 with five seasons and zero starts under his belt. He had been used exclusively on special teams throughout his career. His sixth season with Chicago was a definite change as he more than tripled his career snap count on defense in just 13 games. He was moved around the secondary, filling in where needed, and notched four pass defenses plus two recovered fumbles, one of which was returned for a touchdown. Houston-Carson won’t open the 2022 season as a starter but he’s more than capable of handling that role if players ahead of him go down.

He’s been a core special teams player with the Bears the past two years, logging 81% and 82% of snaps with that unit in that time. DHB, 28 in April, also played a career-high 91 defensive snaps last season.

Houston-Carson appeared in all 16 games for Chicago last year, logging a career-high 342 snaps (81%) on special teams. The Bears’ former No. 185 overall pick in the 2016 draft, he’ll stick in that same role as an outside gunner this upcoming season.

Houston-Carson has been sidelined since suffering a broken arm in the third preseason game. His primary contributions should come on special teams.

Houston-Carson has a broken arm. The rest are healthy scratches.

A talented ballhawk out of FCS William & Mary, Houston-Carson stands 6-foot-1, 201 and was voted co-Defensive Player of the Year in the Colonial Athletic Association as a senior. The Bears have a void at the safety spot opposite Adrian Amos after releasing Antrel Rolle. “DHC” will be in the mix for that opening, along with fourth-round pick Deon Bush. Bush is seen as the early favorite.

Per beat writer Rich Campbell, Houston-Carson will miss “a bit of regular season time.” The 2016 sixth-rounder is a reserve and special teams player.

Houston-Carson (6'1/201) transitioned from cornerback to free safety at William & Mary and earned 2015 co-Defensive Player of the Year in the Colonial Athletic Association, finishing his career with 10 interceptions and nine blocked kicks on special teams. “DHC” shows NFL-level tackling ability, slot coverage and ball skills on tape, but disappointed at the Combine with a 4.54 forty, 32 1/2-inch vertical and 9-foot-7 broad jump. Houston-Carson is making a huge leap in competition where most players will be more athletic than him. He’s a bit of a boom-bust prospect.