Saints 2022 Year-In-Review: Marcus Davenport

A look back at the 2022 season of one of the most scrutinized draft picks in New Orleans Saints franchise history.

Bob Rose | Feb 24, 2023

Saints 2022 Year-In-Review: Marcus Davenport /

In this story:

New Orleans Saints

Going into the 2018 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints traded their first round pick (Number 27 overall), a fifth-round selection, and their 2019 first-round choice to move up to Number 14 overall. Many expected the Saints to draft Louisville QB Lamar Jackson with the move.

They didn't.

Instead, New Orleans selected UTSA DE Marcus Davenport. Over his first four seasons, Davenport flashed plenty of potential. However, he was never able to show consistent production and also missed 19 games with injury.

Entering a contract year, Davenport needed a big year to set up a big payday and the Saints needed him to have one for a big year.

Marcus Davenport

Saints Year-In-Review

New Orleans picked up the fifth-year option on Davenport's rookie deal coming into 2022. The move made sense. Despite missing six games in 2021, Davenport was coming off a career-high 9 sacks, 16 QB hits, and 9 tackles for loss while playing terrific down the stretch.

A 6'6" and 265-Lb. athlete with tremendous strength, Davenport has always been a handful for opposing blockers. He's also had plenty of opportunities against single-team blocking because of playing opposite of perennial Pro Bowler Cam Jordan. However, Davenport has never had the reputation of being a ''finisher''.

Never was that more true than during the 2022 campaign. Davenport played solid football over the first two months of the year. He was disruptive over the first seven games, recording 11 pressures and 16 tackles. However, he was only able to notch half a sack among those pressures and no tackles for loss.

Davenport actually played in 15 games, a career best, but his statistical output was the lowest of his five-year NFL stint. He finished with a half sack, 14 pressures, and two tackles for loss among 29 total stops. Over his last nine games, Davenport had just three pressures, no sacks, and 13 total tackles.

The first defensive end chosen in the 2018 draft, Davenport gave up significant snaps to Carl Granderson down the stretch. Granderson was an undrafted player in 2019. Davenport played in 50% of the Saints defensive snaps during the year, but saw less than 38% of the snaps over the last eight games.

Now an unrestricted free agent, Spotrac.com estimates Davenport's next contract to be an average of about $23 million per year.

Nov 7, 2021; New Orleans Saints end Marcus Davenport (92) is blocked by Atlanta Falcons tackle Jake Matthews (70). Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Given his inconsistent career production and appalling lack of impact in 2022, it seems highly unlikely that the Saints try to re-sign him. At just 26 with tons of physical ability, expect someone to sign Davenport to a contract that New Orleans is unwilling or unable to pay.

Davenport isn't anywhere near the biggest bust in Saints history. However, the amount that New Orleans invested to get him, along with bypassing a successor to Drew Brees at quarterback, will make it one of the more scrutinized draft decisions in franchise history.

Marcus Davenport

Saints Year-In-Review

Read More Saints News