The Cowboys are bringing in more help for the secondary as they claimed cornerback Trayvon Mullen off waivers on Wednesday, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.
Mullen was placed on waivers by the Cardinals on Tuesday after he played a season-high 42 snaps against the Patriots on Monday Night Football.
Mullen, 25, was selected by the Raiders in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Clemson (No. 40 overall). In his three seasons with the Raiders, he started in all 37 games he played, recording four interceptions, and defended 28 passes.
Mullen appeared in eight games this season with the Cardinals after being traded to Arizona in August. According to Garafolo, the Cardinals cut Mullen to ensure that they'd only have to send Las Vegas a 2023 seventh-round pick to complete the trade. The pick would have upgraded to a sixth-rounder if Mullen played in two more games for the Cardinals.
The Cowboys turned to 2021 second-round pick Kelvin Joseph opposite cornerback Trevon Diggs when Anthony Brown suffered a season-ending Achilles injury against the Colts in Week 13.
Mullen's addition, along with the recent additions of Mackensie Alexander and Kendall Sheffield, gives the Cowboys more depth at cornerback behind Diggs, Joseph and slot corner DaRon Bland. Dallas also Nahshon Wright and C.J. Goodwin on the roster.
"They're trying to protect themselves, for sure. This guy really struggled with the Raiders, and he's not fast. And he's a big-time holder and grabber," Bryan Broaddus relayed from an NFL source on the GBag Nation on 105.3 The Fan. "He lot a bit of his confidence playing with the Raiders. But he couldn't get it going either in Arizona on a fresh start."
The Cowboys are hoping Mullen can re-capture the talent he displayed while playing for the national champion Clemson Tigers in 2019. Mullen was awarded Defensive Player of the Game honors after recording six solo tackles, including a sack, an interception, and a forced fumble in the Tigers' 44-16 blowout win over Alabama.
