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A former Detroit Lions player is still a free agent, and the longer he's on the market, the most it looks like he may not be selected.
The Detroit Lions had to cut ties with a bevy of players when the NFL free agency kicked off on March 11, and now, one of those players who has made roughly $43 million over the course of his career is still looking for a new gig.
After the Lions beat the Chicago Bears on January 4 in their final game of the season, Campbell talked about how he believed in this team. But, he was also clear that changes were going to be made, and that’s partly why they let a handful of players go during free agency.
“The guys that I knew we could count on showed up again, one more time, which didn’t surprise me one bit,” he said during his postgame press conference. “I still believe the nucleus of this team is right. I really do. But we are going to need to make a few changes.”
He added, “Not just talking about that. It will be collectively. We’re going to have to work through some things to get the best version of ourselves.”
Campbell also said that the difference was “complementary football and that “honestly, when we needed it most all three phases showed up for us in a big way. It was like clockwork. You know, we were able to control the time of possession.”
Former Detroit Lions Favorite Still Needs a Gig in the NFL
In a Friday, March 27 feature for Detroit Jock City, Ernesto Cova discusses former Detroit Lions defensive end Marcus Davenport and notes that he’s “stuck in limbo.”
“The Lions clearly don’t want him back; otherwise, they would’ve re-signed him by now,” he notes in the piece. “Given the lack of buzz around his availability, it’s hard to imagine Davenport signing anywhere, especially with March wrapping up in the coming days.”
Davenport was solid, but he certainly lacked. Pro Football Focus gave him a 52.4 grade during the 2025-26 season, which landed him 103rd among 115 eligible Edge players. They also gave him a pass-rush grade of 55.8, which was 102nd. According to research from Spotrac, his next contract is valued at $1.85 million for one year.
“Most of the big names in the pass-rushing market have already signed new deals,” Cova states. “Trey Hendrickson, Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb, and Odafe Oweh are no longer available, yet there’s still plenty of value at the position.”
Cova adds that unless another team acts fast, “this might be the end of the line for him after eight years in the league.” So, it may be the end of the road for Davenport, but then again, when the season starts up, as players get injured, that could be his second chance.
Brad Holmes Says He and Dan Campbell Agree on Detroit Lions Philosophy
In other news, Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes is shooting down rumors that he and Campbell don’t agree on the team’s matters.
“I think the only intensity I would say is just that when you have a disappointment of a season like we had, it’s more intense in terms of — I think what I spoke about at the end of the season press conference is that it is a deeper, harder look from top to bottom on everything,” Holmes said on the Lions Collective Podcast. “And that’s what me and Dan have done in joint alignment.”