Will Marcus Davenport Return for Vikings This Season?

Davenport has played only two full games for Minnesota in 2023.

Marcus Davenport's "prove-it" season with the Vikings hasn't gone to plan. Signed to a one-year, $13 million deal (with $10 million guaranteed) this offseason after his rookie contract with the Saints ended, he has played just two full games due to injury.

Davenport played all of four snaps in the season's first three games, then suited up against the Panthers and Chiefs and played well, recording two sacks and seven total pressures. But in Week 6 against the Bears, he suffered a high-ankle sprain that required surgery — and he hasn't played since.

At this point, with just three weeks left in the regular season, it's unclear if Davenport will ever play another game in a Vikings uniform. He remains on injured reserve and no one on the coaching staff has given any real updates on his status. All we've got is this somewhat troubling recent report from KSTP insider Darren Wolfson:

"I continue to be asked about Marcus Davenport," Wolfson said on an episode of SKOR North's Mackey & Judd. "Remember him? There has been optimism in the building going back weeks that hey, he will be back, it is not a season-ending injury. He does have incentive to play — he gets paid these (roster) bonuses if he's active. But there still are some desire questions there. Ultimately, it's the player. The player really has to want it.

"Put it this way: I don't foresee any scenario where Marcus Davenport is back in purple next year, but it sure would be nice to have him on the field at some point these last three games."

Wolfson went on to say that Davenport has been out of his walking boot for a couple weeks and that some people in the Vikings' building probably expected him to be back by now.

Davenport's practice window hasn't even been opened yet, so he's not playing on Sunday against the Lions. Maybe there's a chance he's back for one of the final two regular season matchups. But while it's hard to know exactly how a player is feeling or what they're dealing with, it also sounds possible that Davenport isn't pushing too hard to come back in 2023.

He's a free agent after this season, as are Danielle Hunter and D.J. Wonnum.

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