Mathis looks to solidify starting role in Year 2

Life as a rookie in the NFL is rarely easy.

Broncos cornerback Damarri Mathis learned that lesson in predictable ways and surprising ones during the 2022 season.

Stepping in for injured Ronald Darby in Week 6 against the Los Angeles Chargers, Mathis drew four defensive pass interference penalties as Justin Herbert and company picked on the first-time starter playing across from AllPro Pat Surtain.

Mathis’ season ended in Week 17, when he suffered a concussion against Kansas City. The next day, Mathis watched helplessly as one of his closest college teammates at Pitt, Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin, went into cardiac arrest on the field after a hit to the chest.

Mathis now can look back on that day and Hamlin’s ensuing, miraculous recovery, with a sense of relief, though it still hits close to home.

“It was scary when it happened,” Mathis told The Post. “I’d never seen anything like that before in football. I’m glad to see his journey and see him continue to play football and get back on that right pace.

“That’s really my dog. Like, we didn’t come in (to Pitt) together, but we are real close. He was a year ahead of me. It’s good seeing him doing what he’s doing and I check up on him and stuff to make sure he’s good.”

In terms of his own career arc, Mathis showed between Weeks 6-17 that the Broncos may have found a starter in the 2022 fourthround pick. He’s intent on proving that’s the case as he works toward the start of his second professional season.

Mathis drew raves from teammates and former defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero about his mentality and the ability to bounce back from that penaltyfilled starting debut. Late in that outing, for example, he shrugged off the flags and broke up on a fourth-down pass in a critical moment.

“He’s gotten better each and every week, and you can see it in his play,” Surtain said in November. “He’s getting more confident in his reads and he’s playing at a high level right now. Rookie or not, as a defense we’ve developed that confidence in him that he can go out and hold up each and every Sunday.”

He developed a confidence in himself, too.

“I would say like the Jacksonville game, going over to London, stuff was starting to slow down, and I started seeing all the things my coaches were seeing and I was able to start anticipating things and play fast,” Mathis said. “As a player, that helps you a lot when you’re in there.”

Mathis knows, however, that

taking the field opposite Surtain Week 1 against Las Vegas is no guarantee. Denver drafted cornerback Riley Moss in the third round, signed Tremon Smith in free agency and saw interesting flashes late in the season from undrafted rookie Ja’quan Mcmillian.

“I don’t really get too caught up in that,” Mathis said. “I just look at it as the team (improving) and how can I get better, what can I do to help the team win in the best way possible? I don’t really focus on (adding players). You already know that’s going to happen. I can’t control that. I just try to control what I can control.”

That means trying to build on a promising first campaign and working on the finer points of the position.

“Just being more poised and being more patient in my peddle,” said Mathis, who played predominantly press coverage at Pitt and said he learned a lot about off coverage during his rookie year. “Understanding more the mental part of the game and that takes time. Just more repetition, more years in the league. So I’m just trying to be more poised.

“You know, I run a 4.3 (in the 40-yard dash), but learning to not run a 4.3 every single play. Use it when you’ve got to.

“Be poised, intentional with your movement and technically sound.”

BRONCOS SIGN WR NICK WILLIAMS>>

Denver on Monday signed former Cherry Creek High standout Nick Williams to its 90-man roster, according to the league’s transaction wire. Williams, 6-foot- 4 and 220 pounds, played five seasons at CSUPueblo and then transferred to UNLV, where he had 435 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 2022.

The Broncos waived running back Damarea Crockett to make room for Williams. Denver has trimmed three running backs from its roster in the past week and has five — Javonte Williams, Samaje Perine, Tony Jones Jr., Tyler Badie and Jaleel Mclaughlin — remaining.