The Detroit Lions made several key moves in the 2024 free agency period to enhance their roster. They traded for cornerback Carlton Davis and signed Amik Robertson to bolster their cornerback depth. Additionally, they secured defensive tackle D.J. Reader with a $22 million contract to strengthen their defensive line and brought in former Pro Bowl guard Kevin Zeitler to fill the right guard spot. While these acquisitions largely paid off, their first signing of the offseason didn’t go as planned. Pro Football Focus’ Dalton Wasserman highlighted Marcus Davenport as the Lions’ worst move of 2024. Davenport, who struggled with injuries throughout the year, failed to make a meaningful impact. He was injured twice within the first three weeks, with his second injury ending his season prematurely. Furthermore, there were concerns about Davenport even before his injury troubles. The Lions signed him for $6.5 million to boost their pass rush alongside Aidan Hutchinson, but Davenport had never truly proven himself as a consistent edge rusher. His career high in sacks is nine, and he has only surpassed five sacks in one other season amid a history of injuries. In his most recent healthy season, Davenport recorded only half a sack over 15 games with the New Orleans Saints. The Lions later upgraded their pass rush by trading for Za’Darius Smith midseason, and as they look to improve their edge rush in the 2025 offseason, they’ll be hoping for a better result than what they got with Davenport.
