DE Marcus Davenport Retires

A former Saint, Viking and Lion, Davenport signed with his third straight NFC North team when he inked a deal with the Bears in mid-August. The move led to a reunion with Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who coached Davenport in New Orleans for the first five years of his career. The 2018 first-round pick recorded 21.5 sacks – including a career-high nine in 2021 – during his half-decade run with the Saints.

Thanks in large part to a rash of injuries, Davenport has been a non-factor since he left the Saints. The 30-year-old’s appearance in the Bears’ 23-12 win over the Jets on Sunday was just his 15th dating to 2023. On an afternoon in which the Bears possessed the ball for over 42 minutes, Davenport took the field for 12 of 32 defensive snaps. The 6-foot-6, 265-pounder made a tackle and generated one pressure, according to Pro Football Focus, which gave his performance an impressive 70.8 grade.

It is unclear if Davenport will attempt to continue his career elsewhere, but his departure leaves the 3-1 Bears a bit thinner along the edge. The forthcoming return of Shemar Turner will help make up for that. Turner, who is on the reserve/PUP list as he recovers from the ACL tear he suffered a year ago, began practicing on Sept. 23. After missing the required four games, Stewart is eligible for activation this week. He could make his season debut against the archrival Packers on Sunday.