Detroit Lions fans have been patiently waiting for news on how the team is going to address their need for an edge rusher to pair with Aidan Hutchinson.
The team didn’t have a single other player register more than four sacks during the 2024 season.
There are plenty of options out there for the Lions to address their need this offseason as the free agent class is loaded and a couple of big names have requested trades.
However, it seems they’ve decided to make a move not many were expecting before the start of free agency.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Lions have agreed to a one-year deal with edge rusher Marcus Davenport after he missed almost all of his first season with the team.
Source: The #Lions are bringing back edge rusher Marcus Davenport on a 1-year deal worth up to $4.75M. After injuries robbed him of most of last year, Detroit takes another shot to run it back. pic.twitter.com/z27MAxNb6Y
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2025
The Lions signed Davenport to a one-year deal last offseason that was worth $6.5 million. Unfortunately he was only able to appear in two games on that deal.
After the season was over, Pro Football Focus’ Dalton Wasserman named Davenport the Lions’ worst signing of the 2024 offseason.
Now they’ve surprisingly brought him back for another year.
The Lions were decimated by injuries on the defensive side of the ball in 2024. Davenport has missed games in every season of his NFL career. He has played in just six games over the last two years.
He could be worth the risk if he was a proven producer, but that’s not really the case. Davenport has only reached five sacks twice in seven seasons.
With Za’Darius Smith still on the roster, Hutchinson still waiting for his extension, and now this move for Davenport, it’s hard to see the Lions spending much more at the position.
Maybe that means they really are planning to draft an edge in round one this year.
That will likely need to be the hope now for Lions fans if they want to see their pass rush improve this offseason.
