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DeAndre Houston-Carson (DHC) is returning to the Chicago Bears for his seventh season and will be playing for his third head coach since being drafted by the team in the sixth round back in 2016.
| Game | Game | Def | Def | Fumb | Fumb | Fumb | Tack | Tack | Tack | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | G | GS | Int | PD | FR | Yds | TD | Comb | Solo | Ast |
| 2021 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 25 | 1 | 51 | 33 | 18 |
Advanced Stat to Know: DHC was sent on a career-high 12 blitzes.
DHC’s best game wasn’t one where he started or one where he played a large number of snaps. It came Week 5 against the Las Vegas Raiders. DHC only played 17 snaps and only had one tackle.
What DHC was able to do is something that is a bit of a trademark for him. He came in and made a splash play by being what I dub “DeAndre on the Spot.” DHC was able to play center field and track down this deep throw by Derek Carr for his only interception of the season.
Is DeAndre Houston-Carson the special teams’ leader?
Remember Sherrick McManis? He was the Bears’ special teams ace for nine seasons and rarely played meaningful snaps on defense.
DHC is having a very similar career in Chicago. At his best, DHC plays the majority of special teams snaps and comes in on defense in spot situations and sub-packages. DHC has played over 72 percent of special teams snaps every season since 2017.
With another new special teams coordinator to win over, and with the Bears bringing in other special teamers like Dane Cruikshank, just how large of a role will DHC have in the third phase?
Being one of the longest-tenured Bears, DHC provides a stable veteran presence on special teams and should be a leader in the locker room.
Even though DHC played a career-high 419 snaps on defense last season, the expectation is that the Bears have brought in enough talent around him to allow him to settle back into a reserve role and keep his focus on special teams.
But don’t be surprised when he gets onto the field in a sub-package and makes a big play.
Prediction: Core special-teamer that appears in sub-packages.
Stats: 20 Tackles, 2 PBUs, 1 Fumble Recovery, 80 percent of special teams snaps.
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