Michael Davis has found another gig. After no team signed the veteran cornerback following the expiration of his Commanders deal, two clubs showed interest this week.
The Saints are adding Davis, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz. This is an active-roster deal, per NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. Davis had agreed to join the Saints’ practice squad, but the Lions showed interest for what appears to be a P-squad deal. Instead, New Orleans offered a spot on its 53-man roster. That did the trick to add the experienced starter.
This will reunite Davis with Brandon Staley, the Saints’ DC hire. Staley coached Davis from 2021-23 with the Chargers. Davis parlayed his Los Angeles work into a one-year, $3.2MM Commanders pact. He is certainly better known for Bolts contributions, however, having signed a three-year, $25MM contract to stay with the team in 2021. That came during Staley’s first offseason as Chargers HC.
Washington did not see much from Davis last season, using him as a starter in only two games. Pro Football Focus graded the 6-foot-2 DB as one of the NFL’s worst cornerback regulars in 2024, and the Commanders made multiple investments at the position this offseason. Davis is now 30 but will be given another chance — albeit for a 1-4 team.
A Charger from 2017-23, Davis started 74 games with the team. He was a regular first-stringer from 2018-23, lining up in Staley’s defense during much of this span. PFF graded the Tom Teleseco-era UDFA well in 2022, slotting him 31st, but has viewed him as a below-average option since. Davis has played on the outside for most of his career, seeing only a fraction of his work in the slot.
The Saints played their Week 5 game without starter Isaac Yiadom. The two-time Saint is not on IR, but Davis will provide some depth and bring scheme familiarity. New Orleans also waived Velus Jones to clear a roster spot, ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell tweets. A former Bears third-round draftee, Jones has primarily worked as a return man as a pro. Being tried at receiver and running back, Jones has been unable to stick around. Jones played in all five Saints games this season, working as the team’s primary kick returner.
While a Lions landing would have been more relevant in the grand scheme, game checks on the veteran minimum obviously dwarf P-squad salaries. Davis would have been insurance in Detroit as well, and the NFC North powerhouse could use help. The Lions are down D.J. Reed, Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw, with Reed and Rakestraw on IR, ahead of their Sunday-night clash with the Chiefs. Detroit still has Amik Robertson, Avonte Maddox and corner/safety Rock Ya-Sin on its active roster. Tre Flowers is one of three CBs on the Lions’ P-squad. It will be interesting to see if the Lions make another move at corner given their injury situation.