RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen was reunited with a former player of his from their time together with the New Orleans Saints, as the team signed veteran pass rusher Marcus Davenport last week.
Davenport will provide depth to the most questioned position on the Bears defense, for a team that needs to make quite the improvement in getting to opposing quarterbacks. During his time with the Saints, Davenport totaled 21.5 sacks in five seasons, and he has since traveled through the NFC North division spending stints with the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions.
While Davenport should be viewed as a depth piece at the pass rush position, Allen sang his praises and says he believes the veteran opens up more opportunities for others around him and it's not just about his lone talent.
"We drafted him in New Orleans. He's always been a disruptive player," Allen said. "You can put on a lot of tape and see him in the backfield creating a lot of disruption.Everybody talks about production. There's a lot of hidden production in that he creates a lot of opportunities for other people. He understands the mentality and the mindset of how we want to play defense, and I think he's a good fit. Obviously, the biggest thing for Marcus, and it's been that way throughout his career, is his ability to be healthy and maintain his health. But when he's out there, he's a disruptive force."
Behind Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo, Chicago is hoping to get a rise in production from Austin Booker. But, if they can also get Davenport on the field, then he will certainly be a pleasant addition to that unit. Regardless, Davenport can help bring familiarity to the locker room with the defense given his experience with Allen on a defense that could certainly use him if he can remain healthy.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Dennis Allen details how Marcus Davenport can help Bears defense
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