After getting outplayed in Week 1 by the Green Bay Packers, the Detroit Lions silenced the doubters with a dominating 52-21 win at home against Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears.
The Lions’ offense was clicking on all cylinders (511 total yards), while the defense got after Caleb Williams, sacking him four times and forcing two turnovers. If you are a Lions fan or new defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, this was the performance you were looking for.
However, for all the joy the Lions provided on Sunday afternoon, fans weren’t pleased to see veteran pass rusher Marcus Davenport banged up. The team announced Davenport suffered a shoulder injury and was questionable to return.
For Lions fans, this is deja vu, as Davenport sustained a season-ending triceps injury in Week 3 last season and also had a groin injury. Detroit hopes that the veteran edge rusher’s injury isn’t serious, as they don’t have much depth as is on the edge.
Detroit Must Address Pass Rush After Marcus Davenport Injury
Heading into Sunday’s game, the Lions had three available defensive ends on their gameday roster with Tyrus Wheat listed among the inactive players.
Most teams head into a particular game with at least 4-5 defensive ends for depth purposes, and to rotate different guys to keep them fresh. The Lions didn’t have that luxury before the game, and might not have it after Sunday’s win.
If Davenport is out for any amount of time because of said injury, Wheat will likely be active, and Al-Quadin Muhammad could be pushed into the starting lineup. However, that doesn’t help their depth issue.
The Lions must explore the free agent market and pay up to bring in Jadeveon Clowney, who would be an instant upgrade over Davenport and Muhammad. Clowney recently had a visit with the Dallas Cowboys this week, so his market may be starting to pick up.
The veteran pass rusher has the versatility to play in multiple defensive schemes and would be the perfect complement to Aidan Hutchinson. In addition to Clowney, the Lions should consider bringing in ex-Green Bay Packer Preston Smith and former Chicago Bear DeMarcus Walker, who would both be solid rotational pieces.
Walker can play inside on the defensive line, which could give Sheppard an interesting piece to bolster this pass rush. The options are not plentiful for the Lions, but they are playing with fire, as they cannot continue to neglect their pass-rush depth.