The Cleveland Browns moved quickly to turn another team’s surprise cut into experienced secondary depth.
Cleveland claimed former Indianapolis Colts cornerback Mekhi Blackmon off waivers on Thursday. The transaction will not officially process until Friday because the Browns play the New England Patriots in their preseason finale Thursday night.
That means Blackmon will not have an opportunity to audition in a game before Cleveland finalizes its initial 53-man roster. But he likely won’t need to, with the Browns making the transaction with the regular season in mind.
The Colts waived Blackmon on Wednesday, replacing him with undrafted rookie Kenneth Harris. Blackmon had started 11 games for Indianapolis last season, making his release one of the more notable moves ahead of the roster cutdown deadline.
The Browns have not announced a corresponding transaction but they did part ways with two players earlier in the week.
Mekhi Blackmon Coming Off Productive Season
GettyMekhi Blackmon had a productive season as a member of the Indianapolis Colts.
Blackmon arrives in Cleveland with considerably more experience than most players changing teams this late in the preseason. The Minnesota Vikings selected him in the third round of the 2023 draft after his final college season at USC. Blackmon appeared in 15 games as a rookie, recording 41 tackles, eight passes defended and an interception.
His momentum stalled the following summer when he suffered a torn ACL during the Vikings’ first training camp practice. It cost him the entire 2024 season.
Minnesota traded Blackmon to Indianapolis for a 2026 sixth-round pick shortly before last season. The move paid immediate dividends for a Colts secondary dealing with several injuries.
Blackmon appeared in all 17 games and played almost 800 defensive snaps. He finished with 64 tackles, one sack, two interceptions and seven passes defended while making 11 starts.
However, his performance was not always steady. When targeting Blackmon, opposing quarterbacks registered a 93.2 passer rating. He was also charged with eight penalties during the regular season.
In the preseason, he was flagged four times for pass interference in Indianapolis’ first two games, according to the Indianapolis Star.
Browns Add Competition Behind Denzel Ward, Tyson Campbell
GettyPro Bowler Denzel Ward is a key part of the Cleveland Browns defense.
Blackmon will not threaten the Browns’ established starting combination of Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell. His opportunity will come in the unsettled group competing behind them.
D’Angelo Ross and Myles Harden are listed as the primary backups on Cleveland’s unofficial depth chart. Myles Bryant, Tre Avery, Nate Evans and Michael Coats Jr. are also fighting for places in the secondary.
Coats emerged as one of Cleveland’s biggest preseason surprises, intercepting Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent and recording two tackles. He was helped off the field this week at practice and with an apparent leg injury. The Browns have not announced the severity.
NFL teams must reduce their rosters to 53 players by 6 p.m. ET on Sunday.
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