According to one insider, the Vikings’ $13 million star has no desire to return

The Minnesota Vikings’ investment on edge rusher Marcus Davenport, a prized free agent acquisition in March, appears to be a colossal flop.

The Vikings signed Davenport to a one-year deal worth up to $13 million in the hopes of combining him with Danielle Hunter to form one of the league’s most formidable pass-rush tandems.

However, after only two full games in the first six weeks due to a right ankle sprain, Davenport underwent surgery on his left ankle and has since been on injured reserve.

On Tuesday, December 19, KSTP’s Darren Wolfson noted that the injury did not appear to be in doubt. Davenport has been out of his walking boot for about two weeks, and the Vikings “thought he’d be back by now.”

According to Wolfson, the bigger question is Davenport’s “desire” to return to the field.

“There has been optimism in the building for weeks that Marcus Davenport will be back,” Wolfson stated on SKOR North’s “Mackey and Judd” program. “He has an incentive to play.” He receives these perks if he is active, but there are still some desire questions…. Finally, everything comes down to the player. It must be desired by the gamer. There are some concerns about the player’s motivation.”

The 14th overall pick in the 2018 draft, Davenport has all the talent to warrant a lucrative contract for his position. Entering the 2023 season, Davenport’s 81.2 pass-rushing grade since the 2020 season ranked 22nd among the 104 edge defenders who’ve logged at least 500 pass-rushing snaps over that stretch, per Pro Football Focus (PFF). His 15.1% pressure rate ranked 11th.

In New Orleans, however, his ability to stay on the field was often called into doubt.

Davenport has never played more than 600 defensive snaps in a single season due to injury, but his motivation to play despite minor injuries has been called into doubt throughout his career. He’s only played 118 plays this season and has been forced to sit out two of the four games he’s participated in due to injury.

For a player of Davenport’s caliber, it would have been difficult to sign him to a contract without a certain level of guarantees. However, Minnesota did not leave much on the bone for him to earn in incentives either.