GLENDALE, Ariz. — Dan Campbell said two key defensive players who left the field for the Detroit Lions in their 20-13 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday likely escaped season-ending injuries, but the team may not have been so lucky with a third player.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Monday that defensive end Marcus Davenport suffered a “serious and severe” elbow injury and could miss the rest of the season. Davenport left the field in the second half and later returned for several plays wearing a sleeve on his left arm.
Davenport was injured in the third quarter and went to the Lions sideline shaking his arm, but returned for a few plays with a cuff on his left arm.
He missed two series but returned in the fourth quarter. The Lions did not provide an update on Davenport’s injury during the game but said he was ready to play.
If he does indeed miss this season, his time with the Lions could be over. Davenport signed a one-year, $6.5 million contract with Detroit as a free agent.
Davenport has played well this season, starting on the Lions’ defensive line as an end opposite Aidan Hutchinson, but he missed a Week 2 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers due to a groin injury and was available as a free agent in part due to his lengthy injury history as a player.
He only appeared in four games for the Minnesota Vikings in 2023 after being placed on the injured list with an ankle injury and has never played a full NFL season.
In two games with the Lions, he had two tackles and four quarterback hits.
The loss of Davenport is just one of the losses the Lions defense suffered against the Cardinals. Derrick Barnes, who would have been an option to replace Davenport in his role as outside linebacker, was carried off in the first half with a knee injury. Defensive tackle Alim McNeill (shoulder) and safety Brian Branch (neck) also left the game and did not return.
“I can’t say they won’t be long-term, but I don’t think we have to worry about them ending the season,” Campbell said of the injuries to Barnes and McNeill. “But we’ll know a lot more about those things (Monday) when we can get home and look.”
Campbell is scheduled to appear before the media later today.
The defensive line was a strength for the Lions early in the season, led by Hutchinson with 6½ sacks, the best in the NFL. DJ Reader, Levi Onwuzurike, Mekhi Wingo and Josh Paschal were the other key players on offense besides Hutchinson after Davenport left the team with McNeill already out.
