In Year of the Dragon, new Lions DE Marcus Davenport looking for injury luck in Detroit

When Sean Payton was out with Covid in 2020, Dan Campbell filled in as New Orleans Saints acting head coach and delivered a speech that still resonates with new Detroit Lions defensive end Marcus Davenport today.

"It was the first time in a long time that somebody gave a speech and my heart was like, 'Yeah, let’s go do it,'" Davenport said Thursday. "I just remember his energy. I don’t want to say not many people have the same kind of passion, but it takes someone that was there to actually understand me. And so being able to see him in this position, I'd like to be able to help with that."

Davenport officially signed a one-year deal with the Lions on Thursday, one of four key additions the team has made to the defense this offseason.

He said his familiarity with Campbell and Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn from their time together in New Orleans was instrumental in bringing him to town.

A first-round pick by the Saints in 2018, Davenport played his first five NFL seasons with the Saints, three when Campbell and Glenn were on staff.

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He remembered Campbell's speech for being more about grit than biting kneecaps, but "it got me hype." And he called Glenn someone who's "serious about winning."

"I like the intensity he’s always brought," Davenport said. "He’s kept it real and I don’t think he’s changed, so I like to come in and help him and Dan, two people that I’ve watched and I’m like, I want to play for. I don’t think there’s many coaches in the league that people actually want to play for, and it feels good to be able to have at least two."

Davenport should play at least a rotational role on a Lions defensive line that returns starters Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeill and John Cominsky, plus top backup Josh Paschal, and added nose tackle D.J. Reader in free agency Thursday.

The Lions also traded for cornerback Carlton Davis and signed corner Amik Robertson this offseason.

Davenport, who spent last season with the Minnesota Vikings, has 23.5 sacks in a six-year career that's been marred by injury. He missed 13 games last season with an ankle injury that eventually required surgery and underwent five surgeries after the 2021 season, including having part of his left pinky finger amputated.

Davenport had a career-high nine sacks in 11 games with the Saints in 2021, but has just 2.5 sacks the past two seasons.

"I didn’t get the right results but I really feel like I learned (the past two seasons)," Davenport said. "And 2022 I needed. 2023 I needed. I didn’t get to play as much as I wanted. I wasn’t there to be able to help my team and help the guys that I had grown close to. It’s a step and those are the steps I have to take, so just with that behind me, I'm trying to use that to catapult me into greatness."

Davenport reminded reporters Thursday that 2024 is the Year of the Dragon, something he said brings with it blessings and prosperity.

And with a fresh start with two familiar faces, he's hoping to find both in Detroit.

"Brad (Holmes) said we don’t always get what we want in the way that we want it, and in those years I didn’t get exactly what I wanted," Davenport said. "But I did, I was able to have great connections, my daughter was born, I got married. I’ve been able to live life and I only think it’s made me better."

Pittman to the Commanders

Anthony Pittman, a core special teams player for the Lions the past three seasons, signed a free agent deal with the Washington Commanders on Thursday.

Pittman had four special teams tackles last season and finished second to Jalen Reeves-Maybin with 363 special teams snaps.

A Wayne State and Birmingham Groves grad, Pittman originally signed with the Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2019. The Lions did not tender him a contract offer as a restricted free agent this offseason.

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Lions DE Marcus Davenport: Dan Campbell's 'energy' drew me to Detroit