The Chicago Bears reunite a former first-round pick with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, gambling that the veteran’s high-ceiling traits can bolster a pass rush desperate for consistent edge-rushing depth and health.
The Chicago Bears are adding a familiar face to their defense, signing defensive end Marcus Davenport.
The former No. 14 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft spent five seasons with Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen while the two were in New Orleans. Although Davenport played in 11 games during the 2021 season, he registered a career-high nine sacks and 16 quarterback hits.
After his time in New Orleans, he played in just four games with the Minnesota Vikings and was most recently with the Detroit Lions for the last two seasons, overlapping with Bears head coach Ben Johnson in 2024.
Davenport has not lived up to his first-round draft selection, totaling 165 tackles, 25 sacks and 71 quarterback hits in 77 games played. He has missed 56 games over the course of his eight seasons in the NFL.
- Sept 14, 2025: Shoulder
- Sept 22, 2024: Season-ending tricep
- Sept 8, 2024: Groin
- Nov. 24, 2021: Shoulder
- Sept. 15, 2021: Shoulder
- Dec. 4, 2020: Concussion
- Sept. 30, 2020: Toe
- Sept. 9, 2020: Elbow
- Dec. 1, 2019: Pedal Lisfranc Fracture
- Oct. 28, 2018: Toe
Outside of having familiarity in Allen's scheme and the ideal frame to play defensive end in this defense, Davenport hasn't shown the career production to instill confidence that he can become a reliable asset for Chicago. The Bears are already dealing with injuries all across the defense and now they are adding a player whose career can be defined by health concerns.
Could a change of scenery help Davenport? Potentially. But that's far from a guarantee.
The Bears didn't add any edge rushers in free agency or the draft, so Davenport will have an opportunity to leave a positive impression on a team that struggled to consistently apply pressure on opposing quarterbacks last season.
Former 2025 second-round draft pick Shemar Turner is still on the physically unable to perform list, which provides more opportunities for every player in the defensive line room. Someone who has taken advantage of their increased snaps is Jamree Kromah, who finished with six total tackles and two sacks, including a strip-sack fumble, in the 34-10 preseason win over the Cleveland Browns.
Behind Montez Sweat, Dayo Odeyingbo and Austin Booker, edge rusher depth remains a work in progress. With upcoming joint practices and preseason games against the Cincinnati Bengals and Tennessee Titans, these next two weeks represent a critical time for Davenport to prove to the coaching staff that his first-round traits can still become a valuable asset for Chicago's defense.
