What does signing Justin Houston mean for the Carolina Panthers?

What Justin Houston signing means for Carolina Panthers defense

Following Justin Houston's signing, the Carolina Panthers have some interesting things to work out on the defensive side of the ball.

I expect Houston to be a starter, but he shouldn't be expected to play most of the snaps each game. Yetur Gross-Matos and Marquis Haynes SR. - should he stay healthy - will likely be a factor in the passing game.

John Ellis of The Roar podcast and 99.7 WRFX mentioned that Gross-Matos could be used in an area he flashed the most as a three-technique in sub-packages depending on the situation.

Haynes should likely still be a force as a situational pass rusher and could still be productive as a rotational presence. Third-round selection D.J. Johnson should get some playing time on early downs on occasion but don't expect much from the rookie out of Oregon immediately.

It will be interesting to see how the pass rush will look even with the acquisition of Houston. My expectations are that they will still be creative with their pressures and sub-packages. You could see Deion Jones on the field solely as a blitzer while Frankie Luvu roams the second level as a 'Rover'.

Ejiro Evero has a good mixture of youth and veterans on the defensive side of the ball. This is one of the better collections of defensive talent I've seen within the organization in quite some time.

These are exciting times for Panthers fans. The signing of Houston only adds to that.