Seven-year veteran pass rusher Marcus Davenport signed a new contract with the Detroit Lions. Davenport, a former first-round pick, spent the 2024 season with the Detroit Lions but also played for the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints.
Source: The #Lions are bringing back edge rusher Marcus Davenport on a 1-year deal worth up to $4.75M. After injuries robbed him of most of last year, Detroit takes another shot to run it back.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2025
Marcus Davenport, Detroit Lions, Agree to Contract
The 2024 season effectively ended before it ever truly began for Marcus Davenport, as injuries limited him to just two games. During his limited time on the field, the former first-round pick recorded 0.5 sacks, two tackles, and four quarterback hits. The Detroit Lions went 15-2 without him, earning the top seed in the NFC before losing in the Divisional Round to Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders.
Marcus Davenport originally entered the league as a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Selected by the New Orleans Saints, the Texas-San Antonio product spent most of his rookie season playing in a situational role. Appearing in 13 games without making a start, Davenport finished his inaugural season with 4.5 sacks, 22 tackles, six tackles-for-loss, 12 quarterback hits, and a 69.7 PFF grade.
Davenport built on this promising season and earned a full-time starting job in 2019. Starting and appearing in 13 games, the edge defender finished his second season with six sacks, 31 tackles, five tackles-for-loss, 16 quarterback hits, and an 84.1 PFF grade, the 17th-best mark out of 104 eligible players. Davenport helped New Orleans make the playoffs but their hopes at a title ended following a heartbreaking Wild Card loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Following a disappointing 2020, Marcus Davenport had his best season in the fourth year of his contract. In the first year without Drew Brees, the pass rusher recorded nine sacks, 39 tackles, nine tackles-for-loss, 16 quarterback hits, and an 88.8 PFF grade. The Saints started the season on a high note but ultimately fell apart down the stretch following Jameis Winston’s season-ending knee injury.
Since signing his rookie contract, Marcus Davenport has recorded 24 sacks, 151 tackles, 27 tackles-for-loss, and 68 quarterback hits.
Main Photo: Junfu Han – Imagn Images
