Dolphins sign defenders Justin Houston and Bruce Irvin

Justin Houston (YouTube)

The Miami Dolphins are tinkering their defense right before the 2024 National Football League playoffs. On Tuesday, the Dolphins signed linebacker Justin Houston of Statesboro, Georgia, and defensive end Bruce Irvin of Atlanta, Georgia according to the Associated Press. The reason for the adjustments is because linebackers Jerome Baker, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Cameron Goode are all injured.

The Dolphins are Houston’s fifth NFL franchise. He previously played eight seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2011 to 2018, two seasons with the Indianapolis Colts in 2019 and 2020, two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens in 2021 and 2022, and one season for the Carolina Panthers in 2023.

Houston had played in seven games for Carolina in 2023 before being released on December 19. He has nine combined tackles (five solo tackles and four assisted tackles), three quarterback hits, two tackles for a loss, one pass deflection and half a sack. Houston was also out for a month to deal with a hamstring injury.

In Houston’s career, he was selected to four straight Pro Bowls while with the Chiefs from 2012 to 2015. He led the NFL with 22 sacks in 2014.

Irvin is joining his seventh NFL franchise. He has previously played for the Seattle Seahawks from 2012 to 2015 and again in 2020 and 2022, the Oakland Raiders from 2016 to 2018, the Atlanta Falcons in 2018, the Carolina Panthers in 2019, the Chicago Bears in 2021, and the Detroit Lions in 2023. This season, Irvin played in two games for the Lions, and had one sack, one solo tackle, one tackle for a loss, and two quarterback hits. The sack, solo tackle, tackle for a  loss and quarterback hit came in a 33-28 Lions win over the New Orleans Saints on December 3. The Dolphins open the 2023 NFL playoffs with a wildcard game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday.

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