New Orleans Saints: A healthy Davenport shouldn’t overtake Trey Hendrickson
Marcus Davenport is finally healthy, but the New Orleans Saints need to keep Trey Hendrickson alongside Cam Jordan at least for the short-term future.
The New Orleans Saints traded away two first-round picks to ensure they got their guy. Their guy was Marcus Davenport, and they’ve continued to cling to hope since drafting him with a top-15 pick.
However, Davenport has dealt with a slew of injuries to start his career and has missed time in all three seasons, failing to be on the field for the Saints’ Wild Card matchup with the Vikings last season.
While the offseason rumors were that Jadeveon Clowney may make his way to the Big Easy, they were just that — rumors. After the league nixed a deal, Clowney ended up with the Tennessee Titans.
With Davenport hurt to start the season, the 6-foot-4 Trey Hendrickson was given a shot at a starting gig.
He’s been absolutely dominant through the Saints’ first five games, recording 4.5 sacks and ten quarterback hits. Davenport played and started 13 games last season and ended with 6.0 sacks and 16 quarterback hits.
Clearly, Hendrickson, this season, has been much better than Davenport has proven he can be. Hendrickson is in his fourth season in the league, and while he doesn’t have the ceiling that Davenport may have, given his quickness and agility, he’s been the better player so far this season.
Davenport is full healthy following the bye though, so it will be interesting what Payton decides to do.
Cam Jordan’s spot is locked up as it should be, and the defensive tackles, a unit that has kept the Saints nearly record-breaking streak of not giving up 100-plus yards to a single rusher still going, not need help from Davenport, he may be on the outside looking in.
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It’d be shocking to see the former first-round pick start over Hendrickson until the 25-year-old stops producing at such a high level.