New Orleans Saints: 4 players who need to step up in 2021
By Jonny Camer
New Orleans Saints that need to step up – No. 1: Marcus Davenport
When Rodger Goodell announced that the Saints had traded up to the No. 15 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, fans were excited because many thought a quarterback was about to come off the board (it’d likely have been Lamar Jackson had the Saints gone that route).
That draft pick ended up being Marcus Davenport, and he has been a huge disappointment, to say the least. Davenport has just been a very average to a below-average defensive end with underwhelming seasons and injury after injury. However, similar to Winston, he has flashed pro-caliber potential time and time again. For example, in 2019, he had 6.5 sacks in just 13 games.
If Davenport wants to keep his starting job, he will have to step up even more than the rest of the players listed earlier. With the New Orleans Saints drafting defensive end Payton Turner with the No. 28 pick, Davenport is at a very high risk of losing his starting job.
Turner is a player that the Saints have very high hopes for and will be an instant impact player. If Davenport cannot produce early on, the Saints may look to Turner to come in.
With Turner being on the team, Davenport is an expandable piece, which could lead to the Saints trading him for a position of need or draft pick. This is why he is the player that has the most to prove this season.
Next. 3 free agents who could still help the team in 2021. dark
These four Saints have a lot to prove this year and they rightfully need to step it up, for one reason or another.