![\"Detroit](\"https:\/\/detroitsportsnation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/1-27.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
When you look at the numbers, you wonder: why is Marcus Davenport still getting chances?<\/p>\n
After all, the former first-round pick hasn\u2019t played a full NFL season since he entered the league in 2018. And in 2024, the Detroit Lions lost him after just three games due to a fluke elbow injury.<\/p>\n
But if you ask Lions coaches Kacy Rodgers<\/strong> and Kelvin Sheppard<\/strong>, their belief in Davenport has nothing to do with hope \u2014 and everything to do with tape and mindset<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The Detroit Lions trust Marcus Davenport<\/strong> because of his proven dominance when healthy, his visible commitment this offseason, and a renewed mindset that has coaches fully bought in. Despite injury concerns, Detroit believes Davenport can be a game-changing force opposite Aidan Hutchinson in 2025 \u2014 if<\/em> he stays on the field.<\/p>\n Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard<\/strong> was direct when asked why the team has confidence in Davenport.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause I\u2019ve seen it,\u201d Sheppard said. \u201cIt\u2019s never been about his play, it\u2019s always been about availability.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n And he\u2019s not wrong.<\/p>\n When healthy, Davenport flashes elite traits<\/strong> \u2014 size, explosiveness, and the ability to collapse the pocket from the edge. In the few games he played in 2024, he was dominant<\/strong>, pressuring quarterbacks and showing the type of burst that had him so highly rated coming out of college.<\/p>\n But injuries have derailed almost every season.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why this offseason is so important \u2014 not just physically, but mentally.<\/p>\n Sheppard and Rodgers both made it clear: Davenport is different this year<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cHis mindset is different right now,\u201d Sheppard said. \u201cHe\u2019s not holding back. He\u2019s training like it\u2019s already November or December.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n According to the coaches, Davenport has been at the Allen Park facility just as much as the staff<\/strong>, putting in the work, reshaping his body, and attacking his conditioning early.<\/p>\n Rodgers noted he\u2019s been \u201cin every meeting, staring me in the face, locked in<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s not lip service \u2014 that\u2019s buy-in.<\/p>\n And that\u2019s what the Lions are counting on: that with the right mindset and a smart plan<\/strong>, they can get Davenport through a full season and unleash the potential that\u2019s always been there.<\/p>\n Detroit didn\u2019t throw money at the defensive end market this offseason. They could have<\/strong>, but they didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n Why?<\/p>\n Because they believe Marcus Davenport can be that guy opposite Aidan Hutchinson<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe think if he plays 16 or 17 games, that we\u2019re going to like the results,\u201d Rodgers said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n And frankly, so does everyone who\u2019s watched the tape. He may not be a Pro Bowler, but he\u2019s a disruptive, violent, versatile edge defender who can win one-on-one battles and help keep Hutchinson from being double-teamed on every down.<\/p>\n If the Lions get 14\u201317 games from him, they\u2019re getting a massive value<\/strong>.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t roll the dice on just anyone. But Marcus Davenport? That\u2019s a bet worth making.<\/strong><\/p>\n The Lions believe they\u2019re getting a motivated, physically refreshed player with something to prove \u2014 and the skills to prove it.<\/p>\n If he stays healthy, the Lions may not just have one dominant edge rusher in 2025. The Detroit Lions trust Marcus Davenport in 2025 despite past injuries. Coaches say his mindset and offseason work have them fully bought in.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":23162,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23161","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-detroit-lions"],"yoast_head":"\nTL;DR<\/h3>\n
It\u2019s Never Been About Talent<\/h2>\n
Detroit Lions Trust Marcus Davenport Because of His New Mindset<\/h2>\n
No High-Priced DE? This Is Why<\/h2>\n
![\"Lions](\"https:\/\/a.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2024%2F0923%2Fr1390820_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\nKey Takeaways<\/h3>\n
\n
The Bottom Line<\/h3>\n
\nThey might have two<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"