The Minnesota Vikings strengthened their linebacker group in preparation for potential departures from their edge rushers, with Marcus Davenport being the first to leave.
According to a report by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo on March 11, the Detroit Lions have reached an agreement with defensive end Marcus Davenport on a one-year contract.
“After spending a season with the Vikings, the former first-round pick of the Saints is heading to another NFC North team,” Garafolo shared in a post on X (previously known as Twitter).
The Vikings have reached agreements with three linebackers as free agency begins: Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel as outside linebackers, and their own homegrown inside linebacker, Blake Cashman.
These signings are aimed at addressing the possible gaps that may arise from the departures of Davenport, Danielle Hunter, and D.J. Wonnum, who are expected to explore free agency opportunities.
The Vikings have felt the absence of Marcus Davenport ever since he joined Minnesota
The NFC North champion Lions seem to have failed to acquire Hunter even though they were looking for a top-tier edge rusher. Davenport could potentially fill that role in Detroit, but his time in Minnesota was not highly regarded.
Last March, the former Saints first-round pick signed a one-year, $13 million contract with the Vikings, but his playing time was limited due to two ankle injuries in 2023, allowing him to complete only two full games.
The Vikings took a chance on Davenport’s potential. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), his pass-rushing grade of 81.2 since 2020 ranked 22nd out of 104 edge defenders with over 500 pass-rushing snaps during that period. His pressure rate of 15.1% ranked 11th.
However, Davenport never exceeded 600 defensive snaps in a single season, and he only played 118 snaps for the Vikings. Despite his limited playing time, he showed effectiveness by recording 2.0 sacks and two tackles for loss in the two games he completed.
There was speculation that the Vikings and Davenport might negotiate an extension, especially after agreeing to postpone the contract voiding date. Yet, it appears that Davenport will now move on and take his talents to the Lions.
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