Marcus Davenport: What the Lions are getting in their free agent DE

Marcus Davenport: Breaking down the scouting report on the new Detroit Lions DE signed in free agency

It’s been no secret that the Lions needed to find improvements at certain positions on defense. Just off the top, cornerback and defensive end have been the most commonly discussed positions for improvement on defense. During the first day of free agency, the Lions jumped right in to find those improvements.

Prior to striking a deal to trade for cornerback Carlton Davis, the Lions signed defensive end Marcus Davenport. The deal is a one-year deal with a base salary of $6.5 million dollars, but it’s an incentive-based deal that can become a max deal worth $10 million dollars.

For Lions fans, you can live with a low-risk move that could pay off big time. Especially if Davenport is able to play and potentially start in 9 games or more. Health will be the key concern with Davenport. Injuries have plagued his career.

Last season, he suffered a high ankle sprain. This placed him on injured reserve and he was only limited to 4 games played. Despite only playing in four games, he was able to record 7 tackles and 2 sacks for the Vikings.

Before signing a one year deal with the Vikings in free agency last year, Davenport was a first round pick to the New Orleans Saints in the 2018 NFL Draft. Through five seasons with the Saints, he played in 62 games and recorded 21.5 sacks. However, injuries limited his growth and ability to stay in New Orleans or land a long-term deal anywhere else.

As Davenport entered his fifth and final season with the Saints, it was announced that he needed five off-season surgeries. Two were on his shoulder, and three were on his left hand. Aaron Glenn and Dan Campbell are familiar with Davenport, as well. After all, they were in New Orleans when the Saints selected him in the first round.

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If he can stay on the field, this would be a move that I could see pay off in a big way for the Lions defensive line. With Davenport being 6-foot-5 and 264 pounds, he fits the mold of players they’re searching for at defensive end. He should be able to provide versatility within the Lions defensive line and ultimately, he’s another chess piece for Aaron Glenn to use on defense.

Lions may be out of pursuit for Marshon Lattimore

The Detroit Lions may be out on Marshon Lattimore. They’ve agreed to trade for another No. 1 corner from one of the Saints’ division rivals:

On the first day of the legal tampering window, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers agreed to a trade with the Detroit Lions sending cornerback Carlton Davis and a couple of late-round draft picks to Detroit in exchange for a third-round pick. The addition of Davis as Detroit’s new number-one cornerback might take them out of the running for New Orleans Saints corner Marshon Lattimore, who has been the subject of trade chatter this offseason.

It was noted prior to free agency that Detroit would be aggressively pursuing the cornerback market this offseason. With the ties that Lions’ head coach Dan Campbell and his fellow defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn have with the Saints, it seemed as though Detroit would be a very likely landing spot for Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore if the team does decide to move on from him.

With the Lions acquiring Davis, this just about concludes the possibility of Lattimore being shipped out to Detroit. However, what makes one wonder is the fact that the Lions didn’t have a second-round pick for flexibility to help facilitate a trade for Lattimore. Giving up a first rounder may have been too rich knowing that they wouldn’t have been picking until the late in the third round this year, but who knows.

The benefit for Saints fans is that one of the top corners in their division is out of the door and they will no longer have to worry about competing against him. And if this development helps keep Lattimore in New Orleans, well: that would be a welcome bonus.

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Marcus Davenport to reunite with his old coaches on the Lions

Marcus Davenport is planning to reunite with some of his old coaches on the Lions. It’s a Saints reunion in Detroit:

A former New Orleans Saints draft pick is headed to the Detroit Lions as Marcus Davenport agreed to a one-year deal to reunite with some of his old coaches, per Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network.

Davenport started his career in New Orleans as a first-round draft pick in 2018. He spent five seasons and accumulated 21.5 sacks. He was never able to stay healthy for a full season in New Orleans and production was lacking so the two sides decided to part ways after 2022. He signed with the Minnesota Vikings for 2023, but appeared in just four games due to injury finished with two sacks.

Now, he heads to Detroit on another prove-it deal. He’ll be back with Aaron Glenn and Dan Campbell in a new environment as he tries to get his career back on track.

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Commanders hire Dan Quinn to be head coach

Commanders hire Dan Quinn to be head coach, which means Aaron Glenn will be back

The final head coaching vacancy on the NFL coaching carousel got filled on Thursday. The Washington Commanders hired former Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as their new head coach.

From a Lions standpoint, of course, the hiring means that defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn will not be leaving for Washington. Glenn was one of the finalists for the position, including an in-person second interview this week.

Glenn wasn’t the only Lions assistant coach who the Commanders courted. Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson withdrew his name from consideration earlier this week while the Commanders were headed to Detroit for another interview.

Where are the Commanders in their search for a new coach?

What’s the latest on Washington’s head coaching search?

The 2024 NFL hiring cycle is now completed, as each NFL head coach opening has been filled.

Oh wait, there is that one opening that is frustrating for Washington fans. Is the cause-and-effect relationship of Daniel Snyder owning the team still producing such negative perceptions that the Commanders are still being rejected?

We don’t really know at this time. Could it be Washington owner Josh Harris and new GM Adam Peters have set boundaries or standards, and it is, in fact, Washington that has yet to make the move?

Wednesday saw Ravens’ DC Mike Macdonald accept the Seahawks head coaching position, though Macdonald’s wife is from the DMV area and was even a cheerleader for the Redskins!

During this hiring cycle, the Chargers have hired Jim Harbaugh, the Falcons grabbed Raheem Morris. The Titans made Brian Callahan their new man, while the Raiders promoted former Washington linebacker Antonio Pierce from interim head coach to head coach.

Jerod Mayo was the man Robert Kraft wanted to follow Bill Belichick in New England. Panthers owner David Tepper tapped the least known of the candidates, Dave Canales, for their new head coach.

Might it be that the Commanders have actually been rejected this hiring cycle, each time they have asked for a date to the dance?

What about Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn? Why have the Commanders interviewed Quinn a second time and not yet named him their head coach? We don’t know the reason, but we do know it takes two to agree to dance.

If Harris and Peters really wanted Quinn, hasn’t he been available to be hired since the Cowboys Wild Card round playoff loss to the Packers? Does Quinn really want to come to Washington? Or might Quinn actually be willing to wait one more season in Dallas for their head coaching job next offseason?

Now that all the other head coaching jobs are taken, what is the hurry for the Commanders? They could theoretically take their time, introducing another prospect they have yet to interview. For example, might Peters now be interested in Mike Vrabel?

Or might they now limit the list of prospects to three: Aaron Glenn (Lions DC), Anthony Weaver (Ravens DL), and Dan Quinn?

The search continues for the Commanders.

One thing we should all recognize by now is that we have no idea where they are in their process.

Top NFL insider isn’t yet convinced Ben Johnson will be the Commanders head coach

Ben Johnson not a lock to Washington?

Adam Schefter of ESPN is the No. 1 newsbreaker for all things NFL. When Schefter tweets something, it’s always right. No NFL reporter is more plugged in than Schefter.

Now that the Super Bowl matchup is decided and only two head coaching jobs remain, Schefter appeared on Monday’s edition of “The Pat McAfee Show” to discuss those openings.

Schefter certainly thinks Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is the next head coach for the Washington Commanders. Right?

What about Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn returning to Seattle as its new head coach?

The Ravens and Lions lost on Sunday, meaning that four of the finalists for the two remaining openings could be hired now.

OK, back to Johnson and the Commanders. While almost everyone else believes Johnson to Washington is a “foregone conclusion,” Schefter doesn’t buy into that notion.

“I’m not convinced yet that Ben Johnson is getting the Commanders’ job,” Schefter said. “I know people have said that he is the presumptive favorite, and he may get the job; he very well may; he is in contention, but that is not a slam dunk at all right now. They are definitely looking at other people, as well. And again, they may come back to Ben Johnson, but I think that they are pretty impressed with (Ravens DC) Mike Macdonald,  (Lions DC) Aaron Glenn and (Ravens AHC/DL coach) Anthony Weaver, as well. I think those guys are going to have a legitimate chance to get that job.”

Schefter then turned toward Johnson’s interview with Seattle.

“Ben Johnson’s also in play in Seattle,” Schefter said. “So you have to see if he doesn’t get Washington. Is he in Seattle? Or does Seattle pull an upset? People have said here that they think Ben Johnson is going to Washington and Dan Quinn is going to Seattle, and I will bet you, at a minimum, one of those is not right. At a minimum……maybe both.”

This is Schefter, so you must take this seriously. While all of the other NFL insiders from multiple networks, including some of Schefter’s colleagues at ESPN, all believe Johnson is heading to Washington.

Is this a case of the Commanders letting Schefter believe this search is still wide open, or is Washington sincerely waiting to complete interviews before making an offer?

The Commanders interviewed Weaver and Macdonald on Monday, while Johnson interviewed with the Seahawks. Washington is scheduled to interview Quinn, Johnson, and Glenn on Tuesday.

Will the Commanders have a decision by Wednesday?

It shouldn’t be long.

Commanders will give 2nd head coach interviews to both Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson

Commanders will give 2nd head coach interviews to both Lions coordinators, Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson

The NFL head coaching carousel is quickly spinning to a stop. One of the two remaining openings is in Washington, and both Lions coordinators are still very much in play to be the next head coach of the Washington Commanders.

The Commanders have already interviewed Lions DC Aaron Glenn and OC Ben Johnson remotely for their head coaching vacancy. They are now going to interview both of them for a second time now that the Lions postseason run is over. They are among five finalists who are going through second interviews on Monday and Tuesday.

Numerous reports have indicated that Johnson is the top candidate for the Commander’s job, though neither Johnson himself nor the Commanders have said so publicly. Expect the Commanders to make a decision by the middle of the week, if not sooner.

The Deebo Factor, and why the 49ers desperately need it

Deebo Samuel is the one player the 49ers need to get to the Super Bowl. Here’s why his health is crucial in the NFC Championship game.

One key reason the San Francisco 49ers have such a ridiculously efficient offense is that there are stars all over the roster. Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, and quarterback Brock Purdy have all established themselves as true tone-setters in Kyle Shanahan’s system, and that tends to manifest itself more often than not. And if you’re aware of a better left tackle than Trent Williams, that would certainly be breaking news.

But there’s no one player who does more to define Shanahan’s offense than receiver Deebo Samuel. That’s clear an obvious both on tape, and with the on/off splits.

Per Sports Info Solutions, Samuel has missed 320 plays this season, and he’s been on the field for 676 plays. When he’s on the field, the 49ers have an Offensive EPA of 0.18. Without him, 0.01. San Francisco’s Passing EPA with Samuel? 0.26. Without him? 0.06. And their Rushing EPA is 0.09 with Samuel; -0.05 without. Both in the run and the pass games, Samuel’s presence is crucial in any game, and certainly in Sunday’s NFC Championship game against the Detroit Lions.

Samuel went out early in the 49ers’ divisional round win over the Green Bay Packers, and the difference was all the difference. Purdy was not as confident in his reads and throws without Samuel, and the offense lost an entire dimension without him.

“Yeah, it’s huge for us,” Purdy said this week about Samuel’s presence on the field. “Deebo is a game-changer. He is one of the best in the NFL at what he does. So obviously, for him to be able to play, all of us are like, all right, Deebo brings some juice and energy and we’ve got his back and so obviously seeing him run around at practice and look good for us, it’s like, all right, it’s on. So, we’re excited for him.”

Let’s start with Samuel’s explosive potential in the screen game. This 15-yard play on a tunnel screen against the Packers with 6:42 left in the first quarter was a simple example of, “Let’s get the ball to Deebo, and wait for good things to happen.” Which they usually do.

The 49ers have gained 5.6 yards per rushing attempt with Samuel on the field this season, and 4.1 yards per carry without him. Part of that is because Samuel himself can be a great runner out of the backfield, as he showed on this 11-yard sweep scamper against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 18…

…and Samuel will also open gaps for other players, as he did on this 23-yard McCaffrey run against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 14. Samuel sealed the inside edge for McCaffrey and took safety Jamal Adams to the shadow realm.

Not that Samuel is a primary deep receiver, but he can do that, as well. On this 40-yard catch against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 11, the 49ers set up in 11 personnel with a three-man vertical concept in which Samuel and receiver Jauan Jennings crossed over, and nobody in Tampa Bay’s Cover-3 accounted for No. 19.

Not the way the Bucs drew it up, I’d imagine. And when Samuel does catch the ball downfield, he’s not done yet — he’s one of the NFL’s best yards-after-catch receivers. 546 of his 916 receiving yards have come after the catch this season, the most among San Francisco’s roster of receivers.

In this week’s “Xs and Os with Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar,” the guys get deeper into what Samuel means to this offense, and how the Lions might deal with it all.

You can watch this week’s “Xs and Os,” previewing both conference championship games in detail, right here:

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You can also listen and subscribe to the “Xs and Os” podcast on Spotify…

and on Apple Podcasts.

17 ex-Saints will compete in AFC, NFC Championship Games

17 ex-Saints players and coaches will compete in the AFC, NFC Championship Games for a shot at advancing to Super Bowl LVIII:

The New Orleans Saints won’t be competing in this weekend’s AFC and NFC Championship Games, but many of their former players and coaches will be fighting for the chance to advance to Super Bowl LVIII.

By our count, 17 former Saints have a shot at moving on to the final stage — here’s a quick look at the list suiting up for the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, and San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

Two more head coaching jobs filled while Lions assistants keep playing on

Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn are still prepping the Lions for the NFC Championship game while 2 more head coaching jobs got filled

Detroit Lions assistant coaches Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson are busy preparing the team for the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. But they’re also head coaching candidates for several of the vacancies around the league.

There are two less of those vacancies now that there were 24 hours ago.

On Wednesday night, news broke that Jim Harbaugh was leaving Michigan and the college ranks behind to accept the head coaching gig with the Los Angeles Chargers. That’s a position that both Glenn and Johnson interviewed for last weekend.

Some 18 hours later, multiple reports indicate the Carolina Panthers have hired Dave Canales as their new head coach. Canales, 42, was the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2023 after spending years as an offensive assistant with the Seattle Seahawks.

While Glenn never interviewed with the Panthers, Johnson was an early favorite to be offered the position. He was the top choice for Panthers owner Dave Tepper last offseason, when Johnson pulled his name from consideration after interviewing with Carolina.

Johnson is still regarded as a prime candidate for the Washington Commanders head coaching vacancy. One report on Thursday even had Johnson as “a lock” to be the new coach there, though that remains to be seen.