Demario Davis, Saints
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New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis reacting in the middle of an NFL game against the New England Patriots.
The New York Jets are interested in a family reunion.
Insider Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports revealed that the Jets are “targeting” New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis ahead of free agency.
Davis, 37, started his NFL career with the Jets in 2012 as the No. 77 overall pick in the third round of the NFL draft. He has been named to five All-Pro teams and has been a Pro Bowler twice.
Third Time Is the Charm?
The former Arkansas State product spent the first four years of his career with the Jets. In 2016, he joined the Cleveland Browns in free agency on a two-year, $8 million deal.
A year later, the Jets struck a rare player-for-player trade with the Browns to bring Davis back for a second stint. The Jets flipped “The Louisville Slugger” Calvin Pryor to Cleveland in exchange for the veteran linebacker.
Davis delivered a spectacular season in his return in 2017. He started in all 16 games, registering 97 solo tackles (still a career high), three pass deflections, one fumble recovery, five sacks, 15 quarterback hits, 13 tackles for loss, and 135 total tackles.
Yet the Jets still let him walk out the door, and this time he landed with the Saints.
Davis has blossomed in New Orleans and has been there for the last eight seasons. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on March 11.
It is worth noting that Davis and Jets head coach Aaron Glenn crossed over for three seasons with the Saints (2018-20). Glenn was the defensive backs coach in New Orleans.
If Davis signed with the Jets this offseason, that would be his third stint with the team during his career.
One of the Most Underrated Linebackers of This Generation
Davis has been in the NFL for 14 seasons. During that run, he has appeared in 227 games and has made 213 starts. With those opportunities, Davis has collected 1,536 tackles, 116 tackles for loss, 45 sacks, 104 quarterback hits, four interceptions, six forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries, and 61 pass deflections.
What Would It Cost to Sign Davis?
According to Spotrac’s calculated market value, Davis could command a one-year $9.5 million contract in free agency. That $9.5 million annual salary would place Davis No. 17 among the highest-paid linebackers in the NFL, per Over The Cap.
Jets Might Be Forced to Make a Pivot in Free Agency
The green and white were expected to make an aggressive push to land Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone in free agency.
Pauline revealed that Anzalone’s market has been heating up, and he is drawing more interest than originally expected. While it’s still within the realm of possibilities that he ends up a Jet, things just got complicated.
ESPN confirmed that noise ahead of free agency.
“Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone: Scouts and coaches like him more than the public. He has a market,” ESPN NFL Insiders Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler revealed.
Anzalone was listed among a list of free agent players who aren’t considered “marquee” names but whom the league is higher on than the general public, according to some anonymous NFL execs via ESPN.
That development has opened the door for this potential reunion with Davis.