defensive end According to reports, Marcus Davenport is rejoining in Detroit with former Saints aides Dan Campbell and Aaron Glenn. He consented to a one-year deal with a basic salary of $6.5 million. In 2024, he might earn a maximum of $10.5 million.

Davenport spent the first five seasons of his NFL career with New Orleans. He most recently played for the Minnesota Vikings, the divisional rivals of the Lions. A first-round selection of the Saints in 2018, he finished with 142 tackles in 63 games with the Louisiana-based team, including 25 for loss, 21.5 sacks, and 60 quarterback hits.

In just 11 games, he recorded a career-high nine sacks, 16 QB hits, nine tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles in 2019, which was his greatest statistical season to date.

Furthermore, during his He earned respectable Pro Football Focus pass-rush scores of 82.0 and 75.0 in his final two seasons in New Orleans (2021 and 2022). Additionally, he achieved career-high PFF overall marks of 88.8 and 76.8 in those two previously stated campaigns

In his one season in Minnesota, he was unable to duplicate that kind of output, though. Due to an ankle ailment, he only played in four games in 2023 but recorded two sacks and seven tackles overall. He was rewarded with a miserable 55.4 overall rating from PFF, which included a poor pass-rush score of 60.1.

The 6-foot-6, 265-pound defender is expected to return to his pre-Minnesota level of play after signing with the Lions. Should he succeed, he will prove to be an invaluable asset to the Lions’ defensive line. His current profile for Detroit is that of a rotating pass-rusher. Furthermore, if he can maintain his health, he could prove to be the ideal EDGE to Pro Bowler Aidan Hutchinson.

At I’ll assess this signing as average at first sight.

But if Davenport can play for the whole of the 2024 season, I think the addition could have a greater impact.