The Detroit Lions were an edge rusher or two short of a viable pass rush before Marcus Davenport predictably ended up on the injury report, and the situation is even worse now.
Davenport played in just 21 games over the previous three seasons and tallied just three sacks across that span. As such, he was among the more unreliable starting defensive ends in the entire NFL heading into this season, even despite the advantage of playing opposite superstar Aidan Hutchinson.
Detroit chose not to re-sign Za’Darius Smith, who is now with the Philadelphia Eagles, and let arguably the top free-agent pass rusher in Jadeveon Clowney ink a deal with the Dallas Cowboys earlier this season. The Lions traded for Smith ahead of last year’s trade deadline, and regardless of Davenport’s health moving forward, the team has plenty of incentive to consider the same before the option evaporates on November 4.
One of the best players potentially available is edge rusher Jaelan Phillips of the Miami Dolphins, whom Dan Graziano of ESPN listed among the league’s most likely trade candidates on Friday, September 19.
“Another 2021 first-round pick playing out his fifth-year option with no deal beyond 2025, Phillips could be a very interesting target for pass rush-needy teams if the Dolphins fall out of contention and decide they aren’t going to keep him long term,” Graziano wrote. “He has had trouble staying healthy, but he’s healthy right now, and a prorated portion of his $13.251 million salary wouldn’t be too onerous in a league in which everyone’s always looking for edge rushers.”
Phillips earned $14 million over his first four seasons in the league and will become a free agent in March with a little north of $27 million in NFL earnings.
Lions Haven’t Proven They Can Produce Consistent Pass Rush, Despite Solid Showing Against Winless Bears
Miami is already 0-3 with an average margin of defeat of nearly 14 points per game. So while the season isn’t technically over, the Dolphins have put themselves in a position that almost no team has ever come back from to make the playoffs. Even when extrapolating for the updated 14-team postseason format over the previous 12-team playoff structure, the chances are next to zero that Miami will turn this around based on historical context.
The Lions, on the other hand, are 1-1 and should still strongly contend for the playoffs even if they lose to the Ravens on Monday night in Baltimore, a game in which Detroit is currently a 4.5-point underdog, per ESPN BET.
The Lions were able to get after Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams in Week 2, though the Bears’ offensive line surrendered the most sacks in the league in 2024 (68 total) and the new pieces on the interior have not gelled well through two weeks this season. Beyond that, Chicago has run the ball worse than almost any team in football through two games and was playing from well behind for much of last Sunday’s contest, which allowed the Lions defense to sell out against the pass and notch four sacks in the home opener.
However, Detroit got next to no pressure against the Green Bay Packers in Week 1, recording just two quarterback hits and zero sacks.
Marcus Davenport Could Miss Multiple Weeks With Chest Injury
Lions head coach Dan Campbell discussed Davenport’s chest injury, which held him out of practice the last two days, as well as the defensive end’s future availability during a media session Saturday.
“Yeah, I don’t see Davenport playing. We’re still trying to decide what to do,” Campbell said. “We do not feel this is season-ending, but don’t see him playing this week.”
Campbell went on to say that he and the rest of the coaching staff/front office “feel good” about depth at the position of edge rusher.
While the team’s decision not to add another pass rusher before the year began supports that assertion, and Campbell voicing confidence in the players he has is entirely on brand for the fifth-year head coach, it strains credulity that he doesn’t recognize the pressure deficiency his team will likely face against most average-to-good offensive lines this year if it does not upgrade the position group.
Phillips makes sense as a one-year add. He recorded 22 sacks over his first two and a half seasons (42 games played) before injuries robbed him of nine contests in 2023 and 13 games in 2024. He also produced 52 QB hits and 24 tackles for loss over those 42 outings and is playing in just his age-26 season.
Detroit could attempt to re-sign Phillips if they like him across from Hutchinson, or focus on a younger and less expensive option near the top of next year’s draft, as Davenport’s contract is up following this season.