Marcus Davenport’s time in purple is (probably) about to end

Next Monday the contract voids

We’re just under a month away from the start of NFL free agency and one of the biggest misses of last season, Marcus Davenport’s contract, will reach a turning point.

On February 19th, Davenport’s 1-year/$13M contract will void (come to an end) and he will become a free agent. February 19th is also one day before franchise tags can be applied by teams around the NFL.

Complicating matters is that, brutally, $6.8M of that $13M was set aside to 2024 as dead cap. The hypothetical dead cap will now shift to realized dead cap after next Monday.

While there remains the possibility of an extension, that is a fraction of a chance at best given the impact (or lack thereof) Davenport made in his time as a Viking.

The former New Orleans Saint played 118 snaps (42% of snaps in games he appeared in) over 4 games (3 of which he started).

He missed the Week 1 matchup against Tampa Bay as well due to the injury, which was suffered prior to the season. He played (well) when he made his debut against Philadelphia in Week 2, and then missed Week 3 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

He registered 2 sacks in 4 games when he did play, but the last time he was on the field as a Viking was October 16th in a Week 6 matchup against the Chicago Bears.

All that missed time is due to a high ankle sprain, which he is still listed on the IR for. Here he is talking about his injury after the Philadelphia game, which he left early.

At one point Davenport is asked by the reporter the standard “How is the ankle feeling?” and what follows is nothing less than a very, very weird display of unprofessionalism.

“Progress, you know,” said Davenport. “I’ll just leave it at… Progress.”

After the Week 6 game against Chicago Davenport would end up requiring surgery on the high ankle sprain and did not return the field in 2024.

If you watch the above mentioned interview, you will see particularly why:

A. He will not be missed by Kevin O’Connell.

B. You will be even more disgusted that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah gave him $13M, of which $6.8M will hamstring the team this upcoming season.

And

C. New Orleans Saints have a particularly cruel way of hurting the Vikings.

Good riddance Marcus Davenport and enjoy a free $13 Million courtesy of our favorite inept football team.