ESPN Floats Bold Pre-Deadline Swap: Broncos Ship CB to Carolina

The Denver Broncos have already begun to whittle down their 90-man roster to the final 53 players. In the final analysis, if a player failed to do enough to make the roster, the Broncos would rather trade him than cut him and get a little something back in return.

The Broncos have a deep roster and a stacked cornerback room. That's left fourth-year cornerback Damarri Mathis on the outside looking in with the roster cut-down deadline coming on Tuesday at 2 pm MDT.

Although Mathis has a $3.4 million base salary this year, ESPN's Bill Barnwell sees a potential trade partner in the Carolina Panthers. In exchange, the Broncos would get a 2026 seventh-round draft choice, in Barnwell's projection.

"Mathis' best season came with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero in Denver, and he hasn't been able to reach those same heights since Evero left for Carolina. The Panthers are set with Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson and nickel corner Chau Smith-Wade as their three starting corners, but Mathis could push the 28-year-old Jackson and serve as Carolina's primary reserve on the outside," Barnwell wrote. "Mathis is owed $3.4 million in 2025, so Denver might essentially buy a draft pick by eating some of that cash, similar to what the Commanders did when they sent running back Brian Robinson Jr. to the 49ers."

That's the only way I could see the Broncos successfully unloading Mathis, who hasn't done enough to make the team: eating some of his salary. No NFL team is willing to pay $3-plus million for a No. 5 or 6 cornerback, but if the Broncos were willing to eat, say, $2 million of his salary, it might be enough for a cornerback-needy team like the Panthers to pounce.

Mathis was a 2022 fourth-round pick. He acquitted himself well as a rookie, seeing extended playing time. However, it's been all downhill from there.

Mathis started six games in 2023 but only had one pass break-up and he's still never gotten his fingerprints on even one takeaway. Nary an interception, nor a forced fumble, nor a fumble recovery.

Meanwhile, the Broncos are loaded at cornerback, with Patrick Surtain II, Riley Moss, Ja'Quan McMillian, Jahdae Barron, and Kris Abrams-Draine rounding out the depth chart. Mathis hasn't been able to hold a candle to that group in training camp, and his preseason has been lackluster, highlighted by the touchdown he relinquished vs. the Arizona Cardinals.

It's too bad that it hasn't worked out for Mathis. But if the Broncos are willing to eat some of his salary, there is a chance that a team like the Panthers, whose defensive coordinator has a history with Mathis, might be willing to part with a late-round draft pick to guarantee they get him.

Then again, the Panthers could opt to trade nothing, let the Broncos waive Mathis, and see if they can claim him on the wire. Or sign him after he passes through, depending on their waiver-wire priorities.