Todd Davis was a consistent performer at linebacker in 2017

After not hearing his named called in the 2014 NFL Draft, it took nearly two months until Todd Davis had his chance to make a name for himself in the National Football League. In late June, he was signed by the New Orleans Saints but failed to make their final roster, but earned a spot on their practice squad. Halfway through the season, he was cut by the team and swooped up by the Denver Broncos that November and appeared in six games. In that time frame, Davis has gone from a draft afterthought to a starting linebacker on one of the league’s best defenses.

In his second year with the franchise, Davis was a reserve and special teams player — but finally earned the ability to become a starter alongside Brandon Marshall in 2016 after Danny Trevathan signed with the Chicago Bears in free agency. Since then, Davis has started 29 games and been a consistent performer at inside linebacker for the Broncos. This past season, Davis amassed 82 tackles and a sack in fourteen games. That’s solid production when you factor in that he played just half of the snaps on defense. Not only did he excel on the field, he was also the recipient of the team’s Ed Block Courage Award this past season.

In my opinion, Davis is one of the most efficient tacklers in the league and rarely whiffs when it comes to keys in the run game. He is a very instinctive linebacker who plays with quickness and power when moving downfield. Where Davis struggles, and likely will continue to struggle, is in coverage against running backs and tight ends. Three-down linebackers who can excel against the pass are becoming a premium in this league, but there will be multiple teams interested in his services when he hits the open market this March regardless of his issues in coverage.

Todd Davis’s 2017 PFF Grade

According to Pro Football Focus, Davis had an overall grade of 77.1 last season, placing him in the ‘average’ category. His position ranking was thirty-fourth out of all eligible linebackers.

Todd Davis’s Contract Outlook

Last season, the Broncos placed a second-round tender on Davis which earned him a one-year deal with a base salary of $2.75 million dollars. Since he was a restricted free agent last season, Davis is now an unrestricted free agent this offseason and is set to hit the open market.

Todd Davis’s 2018 Status

It’s uncertain whether or not the Broncos will have significant interest in bringing back Davis for the 2018 campaign and beyond, but he has made it clear he would like to stay in the Mile High city. The team is incredibly thin depth wise at inside linebacker, but I am not sure they will be in the position to give him the money he will likely get from teams looking to upgrade their linebacking corps in free agency. At the end of the day, I believe the Broncos will look to replace Davis by selecting a prospect in this year’s NFL Draft.

If this past year was indeed the last time we see Davis in orange and blue, I’d like to give him a big Mile High Salute for all he has done for the franchise and community. He might not be a household name across the league yet, but his rise from being undrafted to a starter in the league is special and proof that when you put in the hard work, you can achieve your dreams.