The Detroit Lions made some significant moves in the 2024 free agency to improve their roster.
They traded for Carlton Davis and added Amik Robertson to enhance their cornerback depth.
They also brought in D.J. Reader with a $22 million contract to strengthen the defensive line and signed former Pro Bowl guard Kevin Zeitler to fill the right guard position.
While these acquisitions were generally successful, their first signing of the offseason didn’t have the desired outcome.
In a Pro Football Focus article discussing the best and worst signings of the 2024 offseason, Dalton Wasserman listed Marcus Davenport as the Lions’ worst signing.
Davenport didn’t have much of an opportunity to make a difference in his lone season with the team, suffering two injuries in the first three weeks, with the second one ending his season.
Nonetheless, the $6.5 million spent on Davenport may not have been the best investment from the start.
The Lions were in need of an edge rusher to complement Aidan Hutchinson.
Davenport, however, had never proven to be the right fit in the NFL.
His career high in sacks is nine, and he’s only exceeded five sacks in one other season, amid a career plagued by injuries.
In his last fully healthy season, he registered just half a sack over 15 games with the Saints. The Lions later found a more reliable option in Za’Darius Smith via trade during the 2024 regular season.
Heading into the 2025 offseason, the Lions will aim to find a more durable and consistent edge rusher to support Hutchinson and hope for better results than this signing.