Marcus Davenport wasn't interested in making any individual predictions or proclamations for the 2025 NFL season after re-signing with the Detroit Lions on a one-year deal Monday ahead of the start of free agency.
Before any of that, Davenport said he has to prove to himself he can be an available player on the edge of Detroit's defensive front opposite Aidan Hutchinson.
"I need to get on the field first," Davenport told the media after signing Monday. "I need to prove myself as a healthy component and I think everything else will fall in place. Once I prove to myself then everything else should take care of itself."
The Lions signed Davenport to a one-year contract in free agency last offseason after his one season with Minnesota (2023) and five with New Orleans (2018-22).
Davenport, 28, appeared in just two games during the 2024 season. He missed Week 2 with a groin injury after registering a half-sack and four quarterback hits in Detroit's overtime victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1. He then was ruled out for the season after tearing his triceps in a Week 3 win against Arizona.
Injuries have been a common theme in Davenport's career since he entered the NFL as a first-round pick by the Saints in 2018. He played in 63 games in five seasons with the Saints, but just six total the last two years, playing four in Minnesota in 2023 before an ankle injury ended his season and the two in Detroit last year.
Davenport said the tough thing about missing so much time the last two seasons is just missing the consistency of work habits. He said he's on schedule in his recovery from the triceps injury and the important thing to regaining his form from 2021, when he had 9.0 sacks in 11 games, is just being available and consistently getting reps.
"It was horrible," Davenport said of last year's lost season. "Another year of sitting out and being sidelined so early. Just having to look at my guys take up the load."
Davenport (6-6, 265) can be a terrific complement to Hutchinson on the edge as the two have the skillset to harass and collapse the pocket on opposing quarterbacks. We saw that in their short time together on the field at the beginning of last season.
Testing the market was never really an option for Davenport after he got hurt Week 3, he said.
"Wouldn't want to leave without being a person they can rely on," he said. "I would say pretty much when I got hurt, there hasn't been much doubt on where I want to be and I just really want an opportunity."
In 69 career games (36 starts), Davenport has registered 151 tackles (82 solo), 68 quarterback hits, 27 tackles for loss, 24 sacks, seven forced fumbles, four passes defended and one fumble recovery.
