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He'll be one of, if not the most watched player on the Saints' roster this season.

More than Drew, Alvin, Michael, Cam, Marshon and all those other Saints who you only need their first name to identify.

You already know what type of productivity you're going to get from those guys.

Now it's defensive end Marcus Davenport's time to show what he can do. It's his turn to prove the Saints were right last year when they rolled the dice and took a chance on a relative unknown defensive end from of the University of Texas-San Antonio.

Fifteen months ago, the Saints gave up two draft picks (a fifth round pick in the 2018 draft and a first round pick in this year's draft) to move up and select Davenport with the No. 14 pick.



There were times last season when he showed flashes of being worthy of that price. There perhaps would have been more dominance like that had it not been for a toe injury he battled through in the latter part of the season.

The toe is fine now as he gears up for Year 2 where he'll be under the microscope while trying to live up to the lofty expectations. He'll get his first start this season, especially now that last year's starter Alex Okafor signed with the Kansas City Chiefs during the offseason.

Davenport isn't trying to just be the other defensive end though.

Yeah, he knows Cam Jordan, the teammate he refers to as a mentor and a big brother, is the bell cow of the Saints' defense. But that doesn't mean Davenport can't wreak just as much havoc from the opposite side of the defensive line as his perennial Pro Bowl teammate.

"I was about to say he's Batman and I'm Robin," Davenport said. "But that's lame. I don't want to be Robin. ... If I had to be someone, it would have to be Batman. Or Nightwing."

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ChrisXVI

Armstead’s putting him on his a$$ so far...

jeanpierre

My wordy response on this is here on my part of the BlackandGold.com Blog Forum...

Reflecting A Year Later On The Marcus Davenport Selection...

SaintFanInATLHELL

Your assessment is spot on. Any cost in draft capital to get a player is strictly on the organization, not the player. Davenport was projected to be picked in the mid-teens. Davenport was picked in the mid-teens. The Saints giving up what they gave up to get there isn't the player's problem.

The fundamental unanswered question is if it's better for a team to spend draft picks to get the player they want or stand pat, draft the players available and develop them?

Drafts are inexact processes on their best days. Over the last dozen years the Saints are littered with examples where drafts simply didn't match the results. From Colston to Pierre Thomas (undrafted), to the fact that virutally every team in the NFL passed on Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara, both of whos production would have them redrafted as top 10 picks now.

So really what would have happened if Davenport wasn't drafted? Who would have been at #27 in 2018? And #30 in 2019? Who would the Saints have manning the DE spot right now?

All Marcus Davenport ever has to do is to live up to being a mid first round pick. Anything else beyond that is on the Saints.

BTW I felt the same way about Ingram. Ending up the #2 back in Saints history is no small feat. And in the end he simply was a late 1st round pick. It's the Saints problem to spent 2 #1 picks to get him.

SFIAH

Super Bowl Championships: New Orleans Saints:1, Carolina:0, Atlanta Chokers: STILL ZERO

Only Atlanta choked in an unchokable situation... Life is definitely good.

K Major

A young, 2nd year player going against Mr. ELITE doesn't bother me at all.

Remember last camp a few others got the best of Davenport as well. At this point, it's a technique issue.

Coach Ryan Nielsen will clean that up.

jeanpierre

Rugby Saint II

I ain't worried...…...

Crusader

Iron sharpens iron!