Getty Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy looks on during an NFL game.
The Dallas Cowboys continue to bolster their secondary after recently losing starting corner Anthony Brown for the remainder of the season. Dallas claimed cornerback Trayvon Mullen, a former Raiders starter who was released by Arizona.
“The Cowboys claimed Trayvon Mullen off of waivers from the Cardinals — former 2nd-round pick of the Raiders in 2019,” DallasCowboys.com’s Patrik Walker tweeted on December 14, 2022. “On the heels of signing MacKensie Alexander to join Kendall Sheffield on the practice squad, Dallas adds more CB depth in wake of injuries.”
The former Clemson standout was selected by the Raiders in the second round (No. 40 overall) of the 2019 NFL draft. During the NFL combine, Mullen displayed solid speed running a 4.46-second 40-yard dash and posted a 34.5″ vertical.
Trayvon Mullen Is the Cousin of Lamar Jackson
Opponents tonight but cousins forever 🤝
Mullen is also the cousin of Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson. During a 2019 interview with the Greenville News, Mullen revealed that the two cousins “talk every day” with the corner leaning on the veteran signal-caller for advice.
“We’ve played against each other since we were five years old,” Mullen told the Greenville News during a March 2019 interview. “Youth football, middle school and we continued to play against each other in high school.
“…He was always a freakish athlete, always made a lot of big plays. Everything he’s doing now he’s done all of his life.”
Mullen Spent 3 Seasons as a Starter for the Raiders
INTERCEPTION! Trayvon Mullen with the INT on Ben Roethlisberger! #MullenIsland
Mullen spent his first three NFL seasons as a starter for the Raiders making a total of 31 starts during this timespan. Most recently, Mullen played eight games for the Cardinals this season prior to his release.
Mullen’s best statistical season came in 2020 when the corner notched 64 tackles, 14 pass deflections and two interceptions during 16 appearances. Here is how NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein described Mullen coming out of Clemson.
“Long press-corner who can clog up the release but is more reactive than instinctive in coverage,” Zierlein detailed in his pre-draft profile. “Mullen can be a little inconsistent in anticipating route breaks, which can open small throwing windows, but his loose hips and response burst helps him latch back onto tight coverage.
“If Mullen can improve pattern recognition and reading the quarterback, the ball production should follow. He has Day 2 draft talent as an outside corner and could compete for a CB2 spot within a couple of years.”
The Cowboys Also Signed Rush & Hilton
.@TYHilton13 is a GREAT pickup for the Dallas Cowboys
The addition of Mullen is the latest in a busy week of roster moves for Dallas heading into the team’s matchup against the Jacksonville. The Cowboys signed former Eagles defensive tackle Anthony Rush and released linebacker Malik Jefferson as well.
Earlier in the week, Dallas signed four-time Pro Bowl receiver T.Y. Hilton with Odell Beckham Jr. not ready to play in the regular season. Heading into Week 14, Dallas also signed another former Clemson cornerback by adding Mackensie Alexander as the team continues to look for ways to add depth to the secondary following Brown’s injury.
The Cowboys are dealing with other significant injuries including defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins who is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season as the defender recovers from a pectoral strain. Dallas right tackle Terence Steele will be sidelined for the entirety of the season (including the playoffs) with a torn ACL.