The Minnesota Vikings waited until the dead of night to make their second free agent signing of the day.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Vikings have agreed to terms with edge rusher Marcus Davenport. The deal is rumored to be $13 million for one season.
Davenport, who turns 27 in September, is a former first-round pick by the New Orleans Saints. Last season, he was used strictly as a pass rusher for the Saints but finished with just 0.5 sacks in 15 games.
Davenport is the second signing by the Vikings since the legal tampering period opened on Monday. In the afternoon, the Vikings agreed to terms with former Baltimore Ravens tight end Josh Oliver on a three-year contract.
Here is how Davenport fits the Minnesota Vikings’ defense.
Who is Marcus Davenport?
To put Davenport’s time in the NFL into one word, it’s been frustrating.
Firstly, there’s a lot to like about what Davenport offers. He has good size for the position at 6-foot-5, 265 pounds, and he combines that size with good length. From a physical perspective, there are no negatives to what Davenport offers.
However, injuries have derailed whatever momentum Davenport has had in the NFL. His injury history likely hurt his market, which allowed the Vikings to offer him a one-year contract. A short-term contract will offer him an opportunity to “rehab” his image and potentially cash in with a long-term deal next season.
When Davenport is healthy, what does he offer on the field?
If you look at his box score stats, you’re likely discouraged with this move. After all, Davenport finished with just half a sack, which is incredibly disappointing given his draft position. Davenport has shown some production in the NFL, though. He has 21 career sacks, including nine in 11 games during the 2021 season.
Despite testing well at the NFL Scouting Combine, Davenport has been a power rusher in the NFL. Davenport is more likely to run you over than run past you, and he uses his long arms to create leverage against offensive tackles.
Marcus Davenport with a runway is a bad sign for Zach Wilson. 😳 pic.twitter.com/EKCXSdHff9
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) December 13, 2021
Although the box score numbers were poor last season, Davenport still posted high pressure numbers, which have been common for him. Last season, Davenport had a 12.1% pressure rate, a number that’s considered high for the NFL.
The problem is that Davenport is only a pass rusher in the NFL. Davenport’s proven over his career that he’s a poor run defender, meaning that his chances of impacting the game are limited. Last season, he wasn’t really an option in base personnel, as the Saints opted to use Tanoh Kpassagnon in these situations.
How does Davenport fit?
Davenport will go a long way in helping sure up what the Vikings have in the pass rush category, as long as they keep him in situations that are beneficial for his skillsets.
If the Vikings ask him to be a good run defender, they’ll likely have a hard time seeing much success from Davenport. However, if they “limit” him to pass-rush situations, there is a good chance that Davenport has a respectable sack total.
In terms of fit, Davenport could play a similar role to Emmanuel Ogbah in Brian Flores’ defense. Ogbah enjoyed a career resurgence with the Miami Dolphins, where Flores utilized him as a pass-rushing 3-technique. This means that Davenport could line up on the outside shoulder of the offensive guard on pass-rushing downs, allowing him to use his blend of speed and power to create havoc.
Davenport will likely be a normal edge rusher on obvious pass-rushing downs. Whether that’s as a defensive end in an even front or an outside linebacker in odd fronts will be based on the defense, but Davenport could likely have some level of impact in either situation.
This signing creates a situation where Davenport, Danielle Hunter, and Za’Darius Smith are all on the field at the same time. This situation is a scary thought for any offense because all three players offer potential as push rushers.
What does this mean for Za'Darius Smith?
The Minnesota Vikings are making these moves without being under the cap ceiling, meaning some players will become cap casualties.
Given the signing of Davenport, Za’Darius Smith makes sense as a potential cut. If Smith is designated as a pre-June 1st cut, the Vikings will save $12.16 million against the cap and account for just $3.33 million in dead cap room.
It’s a fairly obvious cut for the Vikings, especially if they feel Davenport can replace him on the field. However, the Vikings will likely look to trade Smith for extra draft capital.
The cap savings are the same if the Vikings trade Smith, and free agency isn’t filled with many options in the edge rusher department. These two things mean the Vikings could choose to acquire an extra draft pick, likely on day three of the draft, to help get some younger talent in the building.
