New Orleans Saints: Marcus Davenport was a vital addition
The New Orleans Saints traded up to select Marcus Davenport at the 2018 NFL Draft. Davenport could prove to be a vital addition to the defense.
The New Orleans Saints entered the 2018 NFL Draft with the No. 27 overall selection. By the end of the first round, however, the Saints nearly cut that number in half by trading up to No. 14 to pick one of the most intriguing players on the board: Marcus Davenport.
While some have questioned if he was worth trading up for, Davenport could prove to be one of the most important additions of the 2018 offseason.
New Orleans finished the 2017 regular season with a record of 11-5. It was a miracle play away from the NFC Championship Game and would’ve likely been favored over the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, which were without Carson Wentz.
True as that may be, there was one area in which the Saints needed help following the 2017 season: Pressuring the quarterback.
New Orleans produced 42.0 sacks in 2017, including 13.0 from Cameron Jordan alone. It was a rotation of pass rushers from there, however, as no other player on the roster recorded more than 4.5 sacks.
In a division that features some of the biggest names at the quarterback position—Cam Newton, Matt Ryan, and Jameis Winston—stability was needed.
Thankfully, Davenport will join a team that already has a significant tool on defense: Its offense.
Drew Brees had an efficient season due to the emergence of Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara as an elite 1-2 punch at running back. Michael Thomas entered the top-five conversation at wide receiver and the defense played well overall.
Due in large part to its ability to get after the quarterback, the Saints ranked No. 10 in the NFL in points allowed per game at a mere 20.4.
True as that may be, a major reason for New Orleans’ success on defense was the balance on offense. Brees cut down on his interceptions, and both Ingram and Kamara moved the chains at virtual will on the ground.
For the Saints to not only sustain their success, but improve upon it, adding a pass-rushing specialist became an undeniable need.
That’s where Davenport comes in.
Davenport is raw, but it only takes one look at him to see why teams were so intrigued. He’s a 6’6″ and 264-pound Goliath of a defensive end who boasts 4.58 speed and the proven ability to chase down runners.
More importantly: Davenport has the raw ability to get after the quarterback, and he still hasn’t learned the proper technique.
Davenport tends to bull rush opponents without much of an attempt to use a finesse move to get by them. With the proper coaching, he should develop the fundamental understanding of the position that would enable him to make a leap towards the status of the elite.
If he does so, then the Saints would have two explosive pass-rushers to anchor the defense for the foreseeable future.
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The question is: Will Marcus Davenport live up to the hype and help take the New Orleans Saints to the next level?