The Detroit Lions have made several shrewd moves to transform themselves from an NFL doormat to an NFC contender in recent years. Unfortunately, one move that has continued to put Detroit into the red has been the employment of Marcus Davenport.
Davenport has been in Detroit for two years, but you wouldn’t know it based on his availability. After playing in just four games over the past two seasons, Davenport is on the injured list again as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the 29-year-old is going on injured reserve due to a chest injury.
The latest injury to Davenport only leaves the Lions questioning some of their decisions. A big part of that self-reflection should be focused on the decision to stop letting Davenport steal money from a defense that desperately needs actual help for its pass rush.
The Lions Can’t Trust Marcus Davenport Anymore After His Latest Injury
Davenport’s arrival came with some warning signs before he came to Detroit. A former first-round pick by the New Orleans Saints, Davenport signed a one-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings before the 2023 season, but he was lost for the season due to an ankle injury.
The next redemption tour took place in Detroit when Davenport signed a one-year deal in the spring of 2024. While he started the season healthy, he missed the second game of the season with a groin injury before tearing his triceps the following week. This should have been the end of Davenport’s time with the team, but the Lions shockingly brought him back on another one-year contract this offseason.
Davenport’s $2.5 million salary was significantly less than the $6.5 million he signed for last offseason. But that money could have been used somewhere else than on a player who hasn’t played in more than four games since 2022.
It’s not like Davenport has been effective when he’s been on the field. In his last healthy season with the Saints, he had just 0.5 sacks in 15 games. His 3.5 sacks in his past eight games combined are a better signal for a situational pass-rusher, but the Lions were betting on Davenport being a starter going into this season.
Perhaps the emergence of Al-Quadin Muhammad could soften the blow, but the Lions bet on journeymen to solve their pass-rush problem instead of pushing their chips to the middle of the table and getting a big name. It’s a case of getting what you pay for, and unfortunately, the Lions have been content to allow Davenport to be the beneficiary over the past few years.