Lions Decline Fifth-Year Option on Jarrad Davis

Lions decide not to exercise fifth-year option on 2017 first-round pick

John Maakaron | May 2, 2020

Jarrad Davis could be playing his final season for the Detroit Lions.

The Lions declined to pick up Davis' fifth-year option, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport.

The #Lions are not expected to pick up the fifth-year option for 2017 first-round LB Jarrad Davis, source said. Davis now becomes a free agent after the 2020 season.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 2, 2020

The fifth-year option is a one-year agreement that teams can offer to extend the rookie contract of first-round picks, and it becomes guaranteed only due to injury.

With a price tag of approximately $10.089 million for his fifth season, the investment would not have made much sense for a player that isn't a three-down linebacker.

Simply put, Davis hasn't performed to the level Detroit hoped for when they made him the 21st selection in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

In 2019, Davis ranked 94th out of 99 linebackers, as graded by Pro Football Focus. In his three-year NFL career, Davis has never earned a PFF grade over 53.

Davis recorded 63 tackles in 11 games played last season. Through his first three seasons, he has secured 10 career sacks and 259 tackles.

This past offseason, Detroit came to an agreement with veteran Reggie Ragland, further pointing to signs the team is ready to move forward without Davis.

Jahlani Tavai will be entering his second season with the organization, and his play warrants additional snaps and responsibilities during his sophomore campaign in the NFL.

Linebacker depth chart

Inside linebackers: Jamie Collins; Jarrad Davis; Christian Jones; Jahlani Tavai; Reggie Ragland; Jalen Reeves-Maybin; Jason Cabinda; Elijah Lee; Christian Sam.

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Published May 2, 2020

JOHN MAAKARON

John Maakaron has covered Detroit Sports since 2013. Brings a vast array of experience covering the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions, Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans, Detroit Mercy Titans, and Oakland University Golden Grizzlies. John brings a wealth of sports broadcast experience. In 2013, John had the vision to establish the Detroit Sports Podcast Network. Has recorded over 3000 podcasts analyzing Detroit Sports. In 2019, Sports Illustrated Media Group, a historical sports media outlet, partnered with Detroit Sports Podcast to provide daily Lions content for their growing and expanding digital media outlet. Our Lions content can also be read in the newspaper at The Oakland Passionate about Detroit Sports and it is reflected in his coverage of the local teams!