Report: Saints lose key pass rusher, 2018 draft gamble Marcus Davenport for rest of season
The New Orleans Saints got more bad news on Tuesday from Sunday’s tide-shifting loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Defensive end Marcus Davenport will miss the rest of the season with a foot injury he sustained in the game.
‘Significant foot injury’
NFL Network reports that Davenport suffered a “significant” foot injury and is expected to undergo season-ending surgery. The nature of the foot injury isn’t clear.
#Saints DE Marcus Davenport suffered a significant foot injury in Sunday’s loss to the #49ers, sources tell me and @RapSheet. He’s expected to undergo season-ending surgery. A big loss for that defense.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 10, 2019
Davenport is in his second season in New Orleans since the Saints traded a fifth-round pick in 2018 and a first-round pick in 2019 to move up 13 spots in the 2018 draft to select him with the Green Bay Packers’ pick.
Tough blow for Saints
Davenport tallied 4.5 sacks during his rookie season and six sacks this season while starting all 13 games for New Orleans. He’s also totaled 16 quarterback hits, 31 tackles and three forced fumbles this season as a key member of the NFL’s 13th-ranked defense.
The Saints fell to 10-3 with Sunday’s loss. They’re battling with the 11-2 49ers, 10-3 Packers and 10-3 Seattle Seahawks for one of the two first-round byes in the NFC playoffs.
Davenport is a difficult loss during a critical stretch for the Saints.
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