The Denver Broncos capped off an impressive preseason with a 38-12 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. If there was a negative during the victory, it was cornerback Damarri Mathis being carted off during the team's first defensive series.
It looked like Mathis got rolled up on during the play and was unable to put any weight on his leg as he was loaded onto the cart. He was holding his ankle and seemed to be in a lot of pain. However, following the game, X-rays were negative.
X-Rays on Broncos CB Damarri Mathis' right ankle were negative. Initial good news. He will have MRI tomorrow morning. #9sports
— MikeKlis9NEWS (@mikeklis9news) August 25, 2024
Though he will undergo an MRI on Monday to confirm that there is no serious damage, that is good news for the team. While Mathis seems to have lost to Riley Moss in the competition for the team's starting cornerback opposite Pat Surtain II, he should still fit into the team's plans this season.
Damarri Mathis will still make the Broncos' 53-man roster
Mathis has been moved out of the starting lineup, a spot he lost during the 2023 season, but he is still a young, athletic defender with upside who can also contribute on special teams.
Sean Payton said the imaging on CB Damarri Mathis was promising. Didn't think it was a serious injury but didn't provide an update beyond that in terms of timing/IR decision/etc.
— Parker Gabriel (@ParkerJGabriel) August 25, 2024
Mathis was drafted in the fourth round in 2022 and is still just 25 years old. He has 100 career tackles and eight pass deflections during his career. The Broncos had an incredibly successful preseason in which they stayed relatively healthy, this injury to Mathis threatened to put a bit of a damper on that.
Thankfully, it seems all will be well.
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