The Vikings player under the most pressure in 2023
The Minnesota Vikings are left with some big shoes to fill, literally and figuratively, after trading away EDGE Za’Darius Smith to the Cleveland Browns. Smith was responsible for 10 sacks in his lone season with the Vikes, which ranked second on the team in 2022. It was a pass rush that only accounted for 38 […]
The Minnesota Vikings are left with some big shoes to fill, literally and figuratively, after trading away EDGE Za’Darius Smith to the Cleveland Browns.
Smith was responsible for 10 sacks in his lone season with the Vikes, which ranked second on the team in 2022. It was a pass rush that only accounted for 38 total sacks in the regular season, finishing T-21st in the NFL.
Minnesota has a stud on one side of the defensive line in Danielle Hunter, who registered 10.5 sacks last year, but he will need some help in order to replicate that level of production.
Enter Marcus Davenport.
Davenport is primary beneficiary of the Smith trade, whether that’s a positive or negative remains to be determined. Minnesota inked Davenport to a one-year deal worth $13 million this offseason, which is a fairly cheap price tag considering the Saints traded two first-round picks in order to select him at No. 14 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft.
However Davenport’s production coupled with his injury history are the reason for his discounted price. He showed signs of a premier pass rusher in 2021 with nine sacks in just 11 games, but he followed it up with a disappointing 2022 campaign in which he finished with 0.5 sacks in 15 outings.
Davenport’s size (6’6”, 265lb) along with his athleticism offer plenty of promise with the right coaching. The hope is that defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who is known for bringing extra pressure, will create favorable matchups for players like Davenport and Hunter.
With a bounce back year in 2023, Davenport should feel comfortable in calling Minnesota his home for the future. However, if the early returns don’t match the Vikings’ investment, he could become a journeyman pass rusher who bounces from team to team.
Davenport has a career-defining opportunity in 2023. It’s up to him whether or not he can capitalize it and help transform the Vikings pass rush into one that instills fear in offensive coordinators’ minds.
