Marcus Davenport continues to shed bust label for Saints
By Kristen Wong
The New Orleans Saints offense may continue to sputter, but their defense currently runs like a well-oiled machine in part due to the recent boom of Marcus Davenport.
The fourth-year pass rusher missed a handful of games this season due to injury, but ever since he returned to the lineup in Week 7, he’s been outplaying his teammates.
Davenport recently received the team’s highest PFF grade in Week 9’s matchup against Atlanta (90.8), and he deserves all the recognition he’s getting right now.
Top-rated players in yesterday's game vs Atlanta (min. 25 snaps):
— PFF NO Saints (@PFF_Saints) November 8, 2021
✅ Marcus Davenport (EDGE)- 90.8
✅ Terron Armstead (OT)- 89.3
✅ Ryan Ramczyk (OT)- 88.0
✅ Trevor Siemian (QB)- 76.6
✅ Kenny Stills (WR)- 74.5 pic.twitter.com/P1IkvLA6lx
In Week 9, Davenport notched the Saints’ lone sack of the game and added six combined tackles and two quarterback hits, playing in 73 percent of defensive snaps.
New Orleans Saints DE Marcus Davenport just keeps getting better in 2021
This offseason, there were whispers that this season had to be the season for Marcus Davenport. In the last three years, Davenport performed well, but not well enough to warrant New Orleans trading up to pick the Texas-San Antonio product in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Much like with fellow teammate Tre’Quan Smith, Davenport was running out of chances to prove himself. He showed flashes of potential in training camp this year, but that much could be expected from rookies, not fourth year pros.
With 2021 first-rounder Payton Turner suddenly in the mix, too, Davenport had everything to lose as many already touted Turner to be the heir to Davenport’s starting position.
But bust no more.
Davenport has turned it around this season in only four games played (three if you don’t count Week 1 when he got injured).
His return buoyed the Saints to a gritty victory against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 7, an unlikely triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 8, and an unfortunate loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9.
The Saints weren’t sure what kind of player they were getting back when Davenport finally recovered from his injury, but for now, the consensus is clear.
Next. Winners and losers from Week 9 loss to Falcons. dark
Davenport just might give New Orleans a nice return on their investment after all. It’s about time.