One of the longest-tenured Chicago Bears players is DeAndre Houston-Carson. He was drafted back when Jay Cutler was still on the roster, and fans were talking themselves into Matt Barkley. When DHC was drafted in 2016, there was no way fans saw him sticking around the team this long.
Even more noteworthy is he stuck around so long despite nine career starts, all of them coming in the past two seasons. He has just been a depth piece and special teams asset. So, Houston-Carson lasted through three coaches now and is on General Manager number two. Will he continue for year seven on the Chicago Bears?
Should Chicago Bears re-sign DeAndre Houston-Carson?
The reason to re-sign DHC is probably simple. He is a leader on special teams and has been for his whole career. Beyond that, when he does get called on to start, he fills in admirably. That type of depth is a tough pass-up, and it is not like he is demanding a high salary.
Still, if all things are equal you wonder if DHC will actually leave the Chicago Bears. On draft weekend, he was signed and was currently a starter. Then, Ryan Poles added Jaquan Brisker and Elijah Hicks.
Brisker obviously pushed him out of the starting role immediately. DHC held off Hicks, but Hicks showed enough for the team to be happy with his progress. DHC has to be looking at the safety room and thinking that Eddie Jackson and Brisker are locked in and Hicks is ready to take a step. The Chicago Bears need a fourth safety, and when he re-signed last season he was in line to be their second safety.
Considering the last two seasons have been the most impactful to the stock of DHC, this season is probably his chance to cash in. It will not be for much, but he has to be looking at safety situations and signing for a spot where he is more likely to be a number two or three than he is to be a number four.
In most scenarios, he may be in a similar spot to last season where he signs with a team only to see them draft a starter over him. Still, he knows the situation in Chicago and has less room to grow here than in other spots.
The Chicago Bears must be looking at special teams and saying that Hicks, Josh Blackwell, and Sterling Weatherford are now the new guards for core team players.
This may be a combination of the Chicago Bears and DeAndre Houston-Carson realizing it is time to move on. Of course, you should expect to see him with the Atlanta Falcons next season.