Injury could open door for Davis

05.21.2008

In 2006, injuries to cornerbacks Gary Baxter and Daylon McCutcheon opened the door for a little-known young player who had been an under the radar addition to the Browns' roster.

That player, Daven Holly, has given the Browns two productive seasons while playing a variety of roles.

And now that Holly is down for an indefinite amount of time after suffering a knee injury during Tuesday's practice, the Browns find themselves in a spot similar to the one that led to Holly establishing himself in 2006.

Enter A.J. Davis? That's what Davis is working on, anyway.

A fourth-round pick of the Lions in 2007, Davis was let go after the preseason and spent the final 15 weeks of last season on the Browns' practice squad. He figured to at least find himself in the mix for a job on the 53-man roster this season, and what's transpired over the last two months has suddenly thrust Davis closer to the spotlight - and significant playing action.

The Browns traded Leigh Bodden to the Lions in March and didn't draft any cornerbacks in April. Despite signing four undrafted cornerbacks after the draft and signing Jereme Perry last week, the team still has just three players - Holly, Brandon McDonald and Eric Wright - with any NFL starting experience, and McDonald and Wright are just entering their second seasons.

Especially now that Holly is injured, Davis has a chance to make a splash.

"I've been here almost a year now, so I know everybody and I know what the coaches expect from me," Davis said. "I think I fit in well. I'm just out here working, trying to be ready for whatever they throw at me."

Davis was a full-time starter for two years and a four-year contributor at North Carolina State. He was good enough to play in the Senior Bowl in 2007 and was selected one round and 35 picks ahead of McDonald in last year's draft.

When things didn't work out in Detroit, the Browns were one of several teams that called about providing Davis a second chance.

"It was a little bit of a shock at first, but that's the business," he said. "Now, I think spending that year on the practice squad was a really good experience. I got to sit in the meetings, sit in on the game plan, see what a game week is like.

"I learned a lot about NFL offenses and how other corners handle things. I'm trying to take all that stuff with me and add it to my game."

The Browns hope that year of polish will pay dividends for Davis, and they may be counting on seeing him produce sooner rather than later. He still has two-plus weeks of organized team activity (OTA) practices and a June full-squad minicamp to not only improve, but make an impression as the Browns weigh their options in free agency and/or the trade market for addressing the cornerback position.

"I'm just going to keep learning, keep playing hard," Davis said. "I know this is my chance to take my game to another level."