NFL veteran edge rusher Marcus Davenport signed a new contract with the Minnesota Vikings. Davenport, a former first-round pick, has spent the entirety of his career with the New Orleans Saints.
The #Vikings are signing pass-rusher Marcus Davenport, sources tell me, @MikeGarafolo, and @TomPelissero. He gets a 1-year deal worth $13M. Impressive.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 14, 2023
Marcus Davenport, Minnesota Vikings, Agree to Contract
2022 was a season to forget for Marcus Davenport. Appearing in 15 games while making nine starts, the Texas-San Antonio product finished the season with just 0.5 sacks, 29 tackles, two tackles-for-loss, and eight quarterback hits. The good news is that his underlying metrics imply his play was better than the raw numbers suggest, as the former first-round pick finished the season with a 76.8 PFF grade, good for 27th among edge rushers.
Davenport originally entered the NFL as a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Selected by the New Orleans Saints, the organization moved heaven and earth to trade up and ensure the Texas-San Antonio product landed with their franchise. Davenport, viewed as a raw prospect by many, didn’t play too large of a role in his rookie season. Appearing in 13 games without making a single start, Davenport finished his inaugural campaign with 4.5 sacks, 22 tackles, six tackles-for-loss, 12 quarterback hits, and one forced fumble.
Davenport earned a starting job during his second year in the league and began to show the natural talent that led him to be a top draft pick. 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 three forced fumbles.
After a relatively disappointing 2020 where he recorded just 1.5 sacks and eight quarterback hits, Davenport returned in 2021 to post what is arguably the best season of his career. Seeing the field for 11 games, Davenport ended his season with a career-best nine sacks, 39 tackles, nine tackles-for-loss, 16 quarterback hits, three forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.
Since signing his rookie contract, Marcus Davenport has recorded 21.5 sacks in 63 career games.
Main Photo: Mark J. Rebilas – USA Today Sports
