Each week this offseason, we’ll be focusing on one position and how the Panthers may choose to address their needs; whether they’re in the market for an upgrade at starter or just a reliable backup, every player on the 53-man roster is going to be important in 2018.
This is Defensive Line Week.
Defensive end might not seem like the biggest need for the Panthers this offseason with both Mario Addison and Julius Peppers posting double-digit sacks and Wes Horton emerging as a valuable rotation piece. However, with Charles Johnson now gone and Peppers unlikely to return for much longer if he returns at all, there is much more of a need there than might first appear. The unknown quantity is Daeshon Hall, who missed all of his rookie season with injury, but unless the Panthers were extremely encouraged by what they saw in the preseason last year, they are likely to be in the market for an edge rusher in the 2018 draft. One option, should they look to target defensive end in the first round, is Marcus Davenport.
Upside
Davenport’s value is in his potential, with his athleticism being a key part of that. Davenport measured in at 6’6 and 264 pounds at the NFL Combine, with enormous 33 5/8″ arms and a scintillating 4.58 forty yard dash. That speed is evident on tape as well, as any time an offense attempted to leave him unblocked the play often resulted in chaos for the offense (For reference, Davenport wears #93):
Of course, good defensive ends are very rarely left unblocked in the NFL, and for Davenport it will be important to be able to convert that speed to pressures on a consistent basis. He does show the ability to turn speed to power, which should in turn set up inside moves and allow him to get pressure even when he can’t get around the edge:
Additionally, he shows the ability to dip and bend around the edge. This is sometimes the downfall of speed rushers who can simply be allowed to run past the quarterback; however, on the following plays, Davenport shows both a nice lower body bend and a use of the inside arm to allow him to twist around the tackle:
That inside arm is even more exaggerated on the following play where he almost swats the tackle aside:
Davenport will need to develop a more varied set of hand moves in order to be consistently effective in the NFL, but the hand timing, placement and strength shown above is extremely promising. While these are not fully nuanced moves, there are still flashes of his potential hand usage on plays such as the following, where he uses his long arms to keep the tackle away from his frame before driving him up and out with the inside arm allowing him to rip through to the quarterback:
This next play almost looks like the beginnings of a swim move, which allows him to catch the tackle leaning forwards:
All of these plays, and much of Davenport’s game in general, are as much about what he might become as what he currently is, but what there is is still very good.
Up Next: A Look At Davenport’s Run Defense & Negatives
