The Cleveland Browns ' defense is mostly set for next season, but they could still use some depth at defensive end and cornerback. A potential Jadeveon Clowney reunion could address the first need, while a late roster addition might have already helped solve the latter.
Former Denver Broncos fourth-round cornerback Damarri Mathis made his way to Berea right before training camp , and he didn't need much time to make a strong impression on Todd Monken's coaching staff.
Mathis capitalized on an errant throw from Deshaun Watson , picking him off early in practice. Notably, it was Watson's second consecutive interception, as Denzel Ward had just jumped a route on the play before.
The Browns signed Mathis after waiving Dom Jones with a failed physical designation. He entered the league as a fourth-round pick out of Pittsburgh in 2022, making 43 appearances (18 starts) for the Broncos, logging 103 tackles, three tackles for loss, and nine passes defensed.
Mathis didn't play much in his third season with the team, spending most of his time as a depth corner and special teamer before being waived. The Carolina Panthers claimed Mathis off waivers, but he suffered a season-ending ACL injury in practice without making a single appearance for them.
Of course, this was just one interception in a non-padded practice, but plays like that should be more than enough to help Mathis earn a spot on the 53-man roster. Head coach Todd Monken certainly noticed :
"We're certainly looking for that third corner," Monken replied to a reporters questoin prior to Thursday's practice, "and that's why Damarri's here."
The Browns seem to have their top three cornerbacks in place. Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell will start out wide, with Myles Harden likely handling things in the slot. The rest of Mike Rutenberg's cornerback room remains up in the air.
As things stand now, Mathis will compete with Anthony Kendall and D'Angelo Ross for playing time and a spot on the roster. There's definitely an opening for the 27-year-old to make the team.
We're still several weeks away from the first actual test of the Todd Monken era. He's already shown that he'll reward hard work and winning plays, and Mathis' efforts definitely didn't go overlooked on Wednesday.
It's a long training camp, though, and Mathis now has to build on that strong first impression.
This article was originally published on www.dawgpounddaily.com as Browns' newest addition is already making a strong case for the 53-man roster .
