Saints DE Marcus Davenport Loses A Piece of His Infected Pinky

Saints pass rusher Marcus Davenport may soon be asking for severance pay.

Reporting on Wednesday announced that Davenport, a 2018 first-round pick for New Orleans, required a piece of his pinky to be amputated after the digit showed infection.

The left pinky was supported with a plate surgically installed in 2021, but Davenport broke the plate, leaving the finger susceptible to infection. The initial surgery tended to ligament damage suffered during a college bowl game.

Davenport, left with nine-and-a-half fingers, may be left to wonder if he'll ever return to form. However, this type of injury has produced a tale of full recovery in the NFL.

Former New York Giants pass rusher Jason Pierre-Paul played with only seven functioning fingers after a firework incident in 2015 damaged his right hand.

Davenport is already occupied with rehabbing from several injuries since entering the League. His rookie season was cut short by a thumb fracture and toe injury. He then suffered a Lisfranc fracture in 2019. In 2020, Davenport missed games over a bruised elbow, another toe injury, a concussion and a pectoral injury.

Despite being derailed by injury, Davenport has developed into a disruptive force for New Orleans' defense. In 37 games and 14 starts, Davenport has amassed an impressive 19.5 sacks and 111 total tackles.

Recovering from a shoulder injury in January, Davenport awaits his opportunity to put up more digits in 2022, despite missing half of one.

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