Marcus Davenport will have all eyes on him Saturday

As we prepare for the NFL regular season’s “dress rehearsal,” all eyes will be on key contributors for each NFL team. For the New Orleans Saints, Bleacher Report correctly noted that Marcus Davenport will be a focal point in the Saints defense in Week 3 of the Saints preseason:

The New Orleans Saints should finally get to see their top offseason investment on the field against an actual opponent.

Edge-rusher Marcus Davenport missed nearly three weeks of training camp with an unspecified injury, but he returned to the practice field Wednesday, according to Sean Fazende of Fox 8 New Orleans. Head coach Sean Payton expects him to make his preseason debut against the Chargers, per KPLC 7 NBC’s Garland Gillen.

The Saints made a significant investment in Davenport by trading away a future first-round pick to acquire him. He needs to show his skill set is well worth the price.

After the Saints traded up in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft (by also forfeiting their 2019 first round pick) to draft Davenport, he will surely be under the microscope in his first on-field action in the NFL. With injuries to other Saints defensive linemen, the trade for Davenport is looking smarter by the day.

If the Saints can somehow get a version of Davenport in the NFL like he’s shown on his college tape, the NFL better watch out.