3 Worst Offseason Moves From the Bears' NFC North Rivals

Detroit Lions Signing DE Marcus Davenport

This one is not as important as the previous two because the Detroit Lions largely stood pat in the offseason. After the best season the franchise had in a very long time, the Lions understandably decided to bring back their coaches and key players while making free agency moves on the margins.

The Lions already had an elite offense, ranking in top-five for two straight seasons. Their defense, however, left plenty to be desired. So, they focused on that side of the ball in free agency. Adding nose tackle DJ Reader and cornerback Amik Robertson are good moves.

Signing veteran edge rusher Marcus Davenport? Much less so.

The 27-year-old defensive end spent 2023 with NFC North rivals the Minnesota Vikings after being a mainstay with the New Orleans Saints where he was a first-round pick back in 2018. However, he was able to play in only four games and 118 snaps last season and comes with significant injury concerns. On top of it all, he saw significant declines across the board in his PFF grades after registering four missed tackles in as many games.

For a team in desperate need of improvement on the defensive end, Davenport is a risky choice. It seems like the Lions went with someone who has familiarity with Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn from their time in New Orleans, but a less risky choice in such a valuable position should have been a better move.

Regardless of these bad moves, the Bears still only have the third-best odds (+370) to win the division on FanDuel Sportsbook. Depending on how the NFL Draft goes, these odds could shift dramatically. Head over to FanDuel now if you want to lock in these odds now. Don't forget to claim your sign-up bonus of $200 after your first winning wager.

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