NOLA Saints should consider trading this former first-round pick

There are still some moves that need to be made prior to the 2021 regular season and one that the New Orleans Saints should consider making, at least according to Bleacher Report, is to trade Marcus Davenport.

Brad Gagnon wrote the article and had this to say about why he thinks the Saints should trade Davenport:

"If Davenport can’t excel this summer, the Saints could give more reps to free-agent addition Tanoh Kpassagnon and first-round rookie Payton Turner, and they could in turn put Davenport on the trading block.He’s unlikely to fetch them much because he’s now guaranteed $9.5 million in 2022, but a team acquiring Davenport would owe him $11.9 million total over the course of the next two seasons. That’s not outlandish if you believe you can get a talented 24-year-old on the right track."

This isn’t the worst idea, to be honest. It’s no secret that Davenport hasn’t been worthy of a first-round pick (or trading up to get him) and Saints fans wouldn’t be devastated to see him sent to another team.

The team surprisingly exercised his fifth-year option despite the lack of production from the former Texas-San Antonio defensive end in the hopes that he’d become a premier pass rusher. So far, it hasn’t happened, as his career-high in sacks is six, which he notched in 2019.

Marcus Davenport is a player the NOLA Saints should trade.

Considering the Saints drafted Payton Turner in the first round (and he’s already drawing comparisons to Davenport due to both being lesser-known first-round picks), the need for Davenport really isn’t there. The Saints wouldn’t get a ton in return for him seeing how he hasn’t impressed so far, but adding an extra draft pick could go a long way for this team in next year’s draft.

Davenport could be a victor in this scenario too because it’d give him a chance for a fresh start with a new team. He wouldn’t have the first-round expectations surrounding him in his new spot and that could reenergize him.

While I don’t see the NOLA Saints trading Davenport, especially after exercising his fifth-year option, this is an interesting thing to think about. It could make sense for the Saints to ship the former first-rounder to a new team and get whatever they can for him.