The Detroit Lions signed Marcus Davenport last offseason with hopes that he could find his groove with a new organization after dealing with injuries for much of his career.
A first-round pick of the New Orleans Saints in 2018, Davenport had yet to play a full season. Unfortunately, that remained the case as the veteran defensive end saw his season end after just two appearances. He suffered a torn triceps in Week 3.
Davenport started as a defensive end in Week 1, but missed the team's Week 2 game against Tampa Bay with a groin injury. The following week, he suffered the season-ending injury. All told, he finished the year with two tackles, a half-sack and four quarterback hits.
The UTSA product is an interesting evaluation, as he does have an innate ability to get after the quarterback. The injuries have lingered throughout his career, as he's played just six games combined over the last two seasons. However, when healthy, he can help a defense.
In a limited sample size, Davenport posted a 14.3 percent pass-rush win rate in 2024 with seven pressures. For his career, according to Pro Football Focus, Davenport has totaled 208 pressures. However, just 14 of those have come over the last two seasons, and his career-high was 51 in 2019.
Detroit could benefit from having Davenport return to compete for a spot, and he would not need to be the team's top option due to Aidan Hutchinson returning from a broken leg. Health is a concern, however, and as a result, his market will likely be driven down.
The Lions currently have other options on the roster that stepped up in both players' absences, namely Josh Paschal, Za'Darius Smith and Al-Quadin Muhammad. Smith's future is uncertain given the team potentially getting cap savings by releasing him, while Muhammad is set to be a free agent.
If Detroit is forced to choose between Davenport and Muhammad, the performance of Muhammad down the stretch could be a deciding factor.
When Davenport signed last season, it was for one year and $6.5 million. Because of the injury, a slight decrease in his market is likely. If Detroit were to bring him back, I'm predicting a one-year deal with a lower base salary. Incentives, based around playing time and production, could be added to elevate his overall contract value.
Contract prediction: One year, $5.5 million
