The Cowboys continue to add puzzle pieces late in the year, hoping they help contribute to a finished picture of a sixth Lombardi Trophy coming home to Dallas.
On Wednesday, the team claimed cornerback Trayvon Mullen off waivers. The Arizona Cardinals had released the 25-year-old on Tuesday.
Mullen was a second-round pick of the Raiders in 2019, selecting him 40th overall. A Clemson product, the Florida native played on two national championship Tigers squads and had been named Defensive MVP of the CFP National Championship Game in the school’s 44-16 win over Alabama just a few months prior to the NFL draft.
The Clemson quarterback Mullen faced that season was Trevor Lawrence; Dallas will face him this Sunday in Jacksonville.
With the Raiders in 2019, Mullen saw immediate action as a rookie, logging 50 tackles, 10 passes defensed, and an interception in his first season. He played in 36 consecutive games to open his Raiders career (and started in 30) until a foot injury put him on injured reserve in 2021. He came back for one game and suffered a toe injury that ended his season.
Mullen was traded to the Cardinals in late August, shortly before the start of the regular season, but has been inactive for five of the team’s 13 outings. Arizona waived him a day after their 27-13 to New England on Monday night; Mullen committed a costly facemask penalty during the game to put the Patriots offense at the Cardinals’ 14-yard-line, resulting in a touchdown.
CB Trayvon Mullen claimed by the #Cowboys, according to his agent Kevin Conner of @UniSportsMgmt. Mullen was waived by the #AZCardinals yesterday.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) December 14, 2022
Mullen is the second veteran cornerback the Cowboys have added to the roster in recent days. The team signed former Vikings second-round draft pick Mackensie Alexander on Dec. 7.
Both will bolster a young group in Dallas that features Kelvin Joseph, Nahshon Wright, and rookie DaRon Bland alongside Trevon Diggs. Veterans Jourdan Lewis and Anthony Brown had their seasons cut short by injury.
[listicle id=707095]
[listicle id=707072]
[lawrence-newsletter]