After being the 14th overall pick in the 2018 draft by the New Orleans Saints, it's impossible to tell the story of Marcus Davenport's NFL career without mentioning injuries. He has topped 500 defensive snaps once in six seasons, he had five offseason surgeries after his most productive season and an ankle injury that cost him all but four games with the Minnesota Vikings last year had a reporter questioning his desire to return to action.
Rooted in Dam Campbell and Aaron Glenn knowing him from three years in New Orleans, the Detroit Lions took a flier on Davenport back in March. Rehabbing from that ankle injury kept him out of offseason work, but he's been on the practice field as the Lions put pads on in training camp this week.
The questions about Davenport's durability easily attract doubt about him being able to be what the Lions need opposite Aidan Hutchinson, and/or if the Lions need to have eyes on other edge rusher options as insurance.
Marcus Davenport getting right to answering questions about him
A couple days before the Lions' first padded training camp practice, here's what Davenport told Justin Rogers of Detroit Football Network as he awaited getting back on the field.
"I really have no patience,” Davenport said. “Sometimes I think that's my downfall, but it also drives me. I'm really lucky there are people here I can trust to help manage me and keep me cool.”
The pads of course came on in Allen Park on Monday. By all accounts Davenport has hit the ground running, and he has made an instant impression on some teammates.
Early impressions of Marcus Davenport...
— Will Burchfield (@burchie_kid) July 30, 2024
Glasgow: “He just came back a few days ago and you can tell he’s out there, head-butting the sh*t out of us."
McNeill: "Davenport is just a killer. He'll teach you some things, but he's more talking about running through people's faces."
Here's more of what Alim McNeill said about Davenport on Monday.
"I like that mentality that he has. You watch him play, that’s what he does. That’s what he is. He kinda just helps everyone get thinking out there. He’s not gonna yell, he’s not gonna say it in a crazy way. That’s how you know he’s a killer, he’s a silent killer. That’s what I like about Dav.”
Davenport is going to be an important player for the Lions this year, and broadly this is a big season for him in his career. He's off to a good start toward answering any questions that are out there about him.