Marcus Davenport will look to get his career back on track in 2025 with the Detroit Lions.
Davenport – the No. 14 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft – reportedly inked a one-year contract with Detroit on Saturday worth up to $4.75 million. It marked the second straight offseason in which the pass-rusher signed a one-year pact with the organization.
The veteran EDGE defender experienced an injury-plagued campaign in 2024. He battled multiple injuries (groin and torn triceps), and ended up playing in just two games. Davenport also suited up for only four contests with the Minnesota Vikings the season prior due to a right ankle ailment.
“It was horrible,” Davenport told reporters Monday regarding being injured for the majority of last season. “Another year of sitting out and being sidelined so early. Just having to look at my guys take up the load that I was supposed to carry.”
Unfortunately for the 28-year-old, he has struggled with the injury bug ever since breaking into the league with the New Orleans Saints. In fact, in each of his first seven NFL seasons, he has failed to play in a full season's worth of games.
Davenport has subsequently gained the reputation of an oft-injured player, a label which he is looking to shake this upcoming season.
“I need to prove myself as a healthy component, and I think everything else will fall in place,” the Texas native said. “Once I prove it to myself, then everything else should take care of itself.”
As part of “proving” himself, Davenport has placed a major emphasis on being on the field as often as possible in 2025.
“The biggest thing, especially with missing these years, would be consistency and work. I think going into the season last year, they were giving me consistent snaps. By the time the first game came around, I felt a whole lot better,” Davenport expressed. “Then, after the injury, I just know that the only thing that could make me feel better at this point is just reps.”
Davenport is in line to be a rotational EDGE rusher in his second season in the Motor City. Additionally, he'll be expected to deliver consistent production opposite Pro Bowler Aidan Hutchinson. And if he's healthy, there's a solid chance he'll be a reliable contributor for Kelvin Sheppard's defense.
In his final two seasons with the Saints (2021 and 2022), he produced two of his best campaigns as a pass-rusher. In fact, he recorded Pro Football Focus pass-rush marks of 82.0 and 75.0 in ‘21 and ‘22, respectively. He also amassed a career-best nine sacks and 16 quarterback hits in 11 games in New Orleans in ‘21.
Davenport is motivated to return to that form for the Lions, the team which he told reporters Monday he knew he wanted to be with in 2025.
“I told the guys, ‘I want to be here.’ I don’t like to say that I have unfinished business or that I’ve got to prove something to other people, but I don’t really want to leave or wouldn’t want to leave without being the person that they can rely on,” he said. “I would say pretty much when I got hurt, there hasn't been much doubt on where I want to be and I just really want an opportunity.”
