Broncos CB Damarri Mathis is Ready For Opposing QBs to Target Him

During his first year in the NFL, Denver Broncos cornerback Damarri Mathis got used to his weekly trial by fire. When starter Ronald Darby went down injured in Week 5, it was Mathis who saw more extensive playing time. 

Along the way, the former Pitt Panther experienced all the traditional ups and downs of a rookie corner looking to prove his worth. It just so happens that Mathis' first crisis got played out on national TV during a Week 6 contest against the Los Angeles Chargers, during which Mathis was flagged with four pass interference penalties.

It was no surprise that opposing quarterbacks looked Mathis way 58 times as a rookie, but he battled away, allowing 33 completions and a pair of touchdowns in his coverage assignments. Now in his second year starting opposite of All-Pro Patrick Surtain II, Mathis can expect the same, or possibly even more pigskin traffic heading his way in 2023.

Facing up to the reality that teams will target him because they're more fearful of going at Surtain is a currency new defensive coordinator Vance Joseph will quickly become accustomed to. At least for Mathis, it’s what he expects when game day rolls around, but with his confidence on the rise, he’s ready to start making QBs pay for testing him. 

“I feel like I'm comfortable,” Mathis said on Monday after practice. “Like you said, I know people are going to come at me more than Pat. I'm just ready to do what I need to do and make plays on the ball.”

All aspiring NFL cornerbacks have the competitive streak engrained in their core DNA, and Mathis is no different. Having to lock horns with Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy during training camp has been a challenge Mathis has relished because they present differing and distinct challenges.

“I would say—I don't know—I'm just getting a good match-up,” Mathis said. “They’re two different receivers. Jeudy is more shifty, more fast in and out of his breaks. [He’s] good at the line. Courtland has some of those traits too, but he's more of a body receiver. He’s good with his hands. He’s got strong hands. So I feel like it's a good mix going against a big receiver that can move and then a smaller receiver that's more agile and quick out of his cuts and stuff.”

Beyond the standard one-on-one contests, Mathis has enthusiastically embraced new head coach Sean Payton's detail-driven inaugural training camp with a massive focus on situational football.

“It just puts you in those endgame situations," Mathis said. "We get to go through it here at practice and you never know what position we’ll be in the game. So it's good that we go through it out here because it's something that you really need to think about in the game."

Indeed, much of Payton's emphasis has been on the finer details of situational football, which will undoubtedly confront the Broncos when their opponents show up. Given just how many tight games the Broncos coughed up last year, putting the onus on getting the details right in vital end-of-game situations makes perfect sense for Payton and his coaching staff.

With that in mind, Payton's preseason approach will be all about suiting up and wearing helmets instead of Gilligan hats, and Mathis is down with his head coach's master plan.

“I just always look to compete. So I'm excited,” Mathis said. “Any opportunity I’ve got to show that I can play or [to] just compete, I'm all in for that.”