Kris Abrams-Draine’s first defensive snap of his NFL career was a doozy.
First, the situation.
The Broncos’ fifth-round draft pick got thrown into Monday night’s prime time rollercoaster against Cleveland with 2 minutes, 54 seconds left in place of struggling veteran Levi Wallace.
The Browns were getting the ball back at their own 30 and trailing just 34-32. Considering quarterback Jameis Winston already had 446 passing yards at that juncture and his offense finished with 522 yards total, getting 35 or so to set up a field goal attempt hardly seemed like a long shot.
Not only that, but on his first snap, Abrams-Draine found himself lined up across from a receiver on an epic heater.
The Broncos only ended up rushing four, so Abrams-Draine had safety help over the top, but his assignment: Man coverage against Jerry Jeudy, who at that point had eight catches for 219 and a touchdown.
Jeudy had torched Wallace and tormented the Empower Field crowd that used to root for him. He’d made it clear, already, how much the Denver defense missed second-year man Riley Moss.
But Abrams-Draine coolly followed the electric receiver up the field, mirrored his break to the middle and gave Winston nowhere to throw the ball. Winston tried to buy time in the pocket, but Jonathon Cooper sacked him for a 8-yard loss.
Abrams-Draine provided tight coverage on Elijah Moore the next snap, then gave up a toe-tap first down on an out-breaker.
He celebrated Ja’Quan McMillian’s game-sealing pick-six and in the waning seconds drew a 36-yard pass interference penalty for handfighting.
He barely had time to think about any of it.
“I just wanted to do whatever I could do to help the team win,” he said. “It ain’t no time to be scared when you get thrown out there.”
He thought it was secondary coach Jim Leonhard who told him he was going in the game, but even that he wasn’t entirely sure of.
“Everything was going so fast, I just heard my name and I was just ready to play. … You’ve just got to be prepared, know what’s going on with the defense and you’ve just got to go out there and play.
“Don’t back down from nobody.”
Over his debut — 12 defensive snaps in the fourth quarter — Abrams-Draine most certainly gave the Broncos coaching staff something to think about over the bye week if Moss isn’t ready to return from an MCL injury by the time Denver plays a critical game Dec. 15 against Indianapolis.
Can they stick with Wallace, who was solid in his work before Monday but who gave up six catches (10 targets) for 151 and a 70-yard TD as the nearest defender against the Browns, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats?
Might they use Damarri Mathis, mostly a sub-package defender who did a solid job on Browns tight end David Njoku, more?
Or could Abrams-Draine end up opposite All-Pro Pat Surtain II?
Denver would be happy if Moss returns and that question is moot. But the rookie showed in limited time that he took a strong training camp and preseason and carried it into scout team and reserve work as he waited for his opportunity.
Monday night, he credited his practice battles with Courtland Sutton for helping with his preparedness.
“I really got better going against Court, Josh (Reynolds), all the receivers we’ve got,” Abrams-Draine said. “You can ask Court yourself, like, we compete every day. I feel like he got me better and he got me ready for this moment.”