Trayvon

Mullen

Mullen was waived at the start of camp with a failure to disclose injury designation. He was then re-signed, placed on the active/NFI list, and is now on the reserve/NFI list. After some extensive roster maneuvering, Mullen remains on the Ravens, though he is required to miss at least four games to start the year.

Mullen, a former second-round pick, spent three seasons with the Raiders before being traded to the Cardinals in 2022. Arizona waived him before the end of the season. He was then claimed and subsequently waived by the Cowboys. The Ravens eventually took a flyer on him as well, though it failed to amount to much. With four teams moving on from him in less than a year, Mullen’s time in the NFL could be nearing its end.

This is an interesting signing for the Ravens, who could be in need of secondary help this offseason. A former second round pick out of Clemson, Mullen has fallen well short of the expectations that were placed on him when the Raiders drafted him in 2019. In 46 career games, Mullen has totaled four interceptions and two forced fumbles but has struggled in coverage. His 64.3 PFF coverage grade in 2021 is his highest grade over four seasons.

The Raiders traded Mullen to Arizona for a late-round pick at the end of training camp. The former second-round pick did not make a start while with the Cardinals. He split his time between defense and special teams. Mullen will give the Cowboys some extra depth in their secondary.

Per the conditions of their acquisition of Mullen from the Raiders earlier this year, the pick the Cardinals send to Vegas will be a seventh-rounder instead of a sixth-rounder. Mullen did not start a single game for Arizona and only played more than 10 snaps in four of them. The 2019 second-rounder has yet to post a PFF coverage grade above 64.3, but has enough raw size that some other team might take a chance on him.

Mullen will be making his Cardinals debut in the starting lineup. It’s a welcome return after the Cards couldn’t defend anyone against the Chiefs in the opener. J.J. Watt (calf) is also active.

Mullen was able to get in limited practices in each session this week and is probably on the optimistic side of questionable. If he did play, he’d be making his Cardinals debut after a late August trade with the Raiders, setting up a lukewarm #RevengeGame narrative. Arizona didn’t use many of their listed cornerbacks other than Marco Wilson and Byron Murphy last week, so perhaps Mullen’s return would get them into a legitimate nickel set rather than playing around with hybrid guys.

The Cardinals will start CBs Marco Wilson and Byron Murphy against the Chiefs, with seventh-round rookie Christian Matthew stepping up as the nickel. Mullen was just acquired from the Raiders at 53-man roster cuts.

The Raiders get a conditional late-round pick. Mullen was the 40th overall pick out of Clemson in 2019 and was one of the rare semi-hits by ex-Raiders GM Mike Mayock. But he’s apparently not a fit under new coach Josh McDaniels while entering the final year of his rookie deal. Mullen has started 31 games across three seasons and gives the Cardinals a much-needed veteran to team with CBs Marco Wilson and Byron Murphy. He missed most of 2021 with foot and toe injuries.

Mullen Instagramed himself in recovery from an offseason surgery but the team hasn’t commented on it publicly; he also missed 12 games in his third season to toe and foot injuries that had him on IR. Hankins has been the team’s starting nose tackle since 2018.