Exploring Internal, External Replacement Options for Marcus Davenport

Who could step up on defensive line in Davenport's absence?

Detroit Lions defensive end Josh Paschal and head coach Dan Campbell. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions' depth will certainly be tested beginning with Monday's game against the Seattle Seahawks. In the team's 20-13 win over the Arizona Cardinals, three players suffered significant injuries.

Of the three, only Marcus Davenport's is confirmed to be season-ending. Derrick Barnes will be out for what was described as a significant amount of time with a knee injury, while center Frank Ragnow is week-to-week with a partially torn pectoral muscle.

As a result, depth will play a key role in maintaining a high level of performance on both sides of the ball with key players out.

“Yeah, look, it’s why we have the depth that we have," said coach Dan Campbell. I mean, that’s the whole purpose behind bringing in the guys we do, because your first line – your first unit across the board is – the odds of playing with every one of those guys every game of the season, it’s a slim chance of that happening. You’ve got to have the depth."

Here's a look at different ways the Lions could fill the void left by Davenport's season-ending injury.

Internal options

Next in line behind Davenport on the depth chart is Josh Paschal, a third-year defender who has contributed mostly in the run game over the course of the start of his career. He has dealt with injuries that limited his production over the last two seasons.

After playing in spot duty for most of his first two NFL campaigns, Paschal appears primed to take on a big role moving forward.

"I have a lot of faith, and this is – Paschal’s going to – this is going to be big for him," Campbell said. "He’s going to take a load over there now – and he played an outstanding game, by the way. He was another one, I thought he played really well yesterday, he was physical, continues to grow. So, we’re going to need him to step up and I have all the faith in the world that he will.”

Detroit has experimented some with playing defensive tackles at the end position in an effort to maximize some versatility. As a result, there will likely be some packages for Levi Onwuzurike or Mekhi Wingo to line up on the edge.

Another potential solution is James Houston, who has been inactive for two of the Lions' first three games. Houston's career trajectory has been puzzling to this point, as he burst onto the scene with eight sacks in his first seven games in 2022, but has been active in just three games since due to an ankle injury and now being a healthy scratch.

Houston has shown he can get after the quarterback, but he has yet to display the versatility that the Lions have coveted. Davenport's injury could lead Houston to be active on game days, and the Jackson State product would have plenty to prove.

Detroit also has veteran defensive end Pat O'Connor on the practice squad. O'Connor has plenty of game experience and could wind up being an asset at some point this season.

“One of the reasons we got him and wanted him here is because we know that it’s just a matter of time before we’re going to need Pat," Campbell said, "and it could be sooner than later, to your point.”

External

The free agent defensive end crop is populated by several veterans who have injury history. Shaq Lawson, 30, and former Lion Austin Bryant are two of the more established options not currently on another team's roster or practice squad.

If the Lions were to add a veteran free agent, however, it would likely be to the practice squad in order to allow the veteran time to acclimate. Detroit did so with Bruce Irvin last season, bringing aboard the veteran that would eventually play in three games for the Lions.

There's always a possibility that Brad Holmes could make a trade. One potential option is Trey Hendrickson, who requested a trade from the Bengals this offseason. With Cincinnati in the midst of an 0-3 start, frustrations could be high.

Hendrickson would come at a cost. The Lions currently have around $29.8 million in cap space according to OverTheCap, and Hendrickson has two years remaining on a contract that will pay him $14.8 million in 2024 and $15.8 million in 2025.

The veteran defender's cap hit for this season is $20.17 million and $18.7 million next season. Detroit has the cap space to make it work, and the length of the contract means it wouldn't interfere with Penei Sewell's extension, which doesn't kick in until after his fifth-year option in 2025.

Another trade option could be Haason Reddick, who was traded to the Jets this offseason but has not suited up while holding out for a new contract. A trade for Reddick would likely have to come with a contract extension, and with the Lions' preference for paying their drafted talent, this may not be likely.

Holmes has traditionally been patient on the trade market throughout his career, but the urgency could be increased with the Lions pushing to set themselves up for a deep playoff run. As a result, if the internal options don't cut it, Holmes and company will be forced to look at options outside of Allen Park.