Vikings place Marcus Davenport on IR
The Minnesota Vikings signed Marcus Davenport to a one-year, $13 million deal back in March with the hopes he'd improve a pass rush that finished 21st in sacks and 23rd in pressure rate last year. On Wednesday, the team placed the veteran pass rusher on injured reserve after he suffered a high-ankle sprain during the […]
The Minnesota Vikings signed Marcus Davenport to a one-year, $13 million deal back in March with the hopes he'd improve a pass rush that finished 21st in sacks and 23rd in pressure rate last year.
On Wednesday, the team placed the veteran pass rusher on injured reserve after he suffered a high-ankle sprain during the win over the Chicago Bears. Davenport hasn't really lived up to expectations, so far, recording just 2.0 sacks and seven total pressures on 77 pass rush snaps, per Pro Football Focus.
Now, he'll miss the next four games, at minimum.
The Vikings' gamble has officially blown up in their face
You never want to let injury luck guide your decision-making when it comes to life in the NFL, but at the same time, there are certain players with injury histories that have to be taken into account when evaluating whether or not you want to add them to your team.
Such is the exact case with Davenport, who has never played a full season in the NFL. He's experienced a multitude of injuries that have always held him back from his full potential.
What drove the Vikings to add Davenport is what drove the New Orleans Saints to trade up for him in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft: potential. When he's actually on the field, Davenport is a very good player. But even that hasn't been the case for him this year.
Either way, unless the sixth-year player just plays like an All-Pro once he returns, it's safe to say this experiment has already failed.
