In the thick of preseason action is time for guys like wide receiver Kaden Davis to really make their case to earn a spot on the opening day roster. Now with the Cleveland Browns, Davis had to wait for his opportunity after signing as a UDFA out of Northwest Missouri State with the Denver Broncos in 2022. He had two stints with the Broncos, first when he signed out of college and the second time in 2024, where he was signed and cut twice in the span of two months. Davis also spent time with the Arizona Cardinals' and Detroit Lions practice squads, in addition to playing for the Michigan Panthers of the UFL. He's now officially in his second NFL season after being promoted to the Browns active roster on January 3rd of this year.
Standing at 5'11", 188 pounds, Kaden Davis showcases legitimate speed, boasting a 4.44 40 yard dash with a good short burst as well, evidenced by his 1.52 10 yard split. Davis uses this speed to his advantage, particularly on kickoff returns. In his 5 games with the Michigan Panthers, 333 of his 416 total yards came from kick returns. The Browns have been desperate for some dynamism in their return game, and in his lone opportunity for the Browns last year, he racked up 107 return yards on 3 returns, with one going for 40 yards.
Fans will also remember his most recent contributions, catching two touchdowns in the first preseason game from rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders against the Carolina Panthers. On both scores, Davis showed strong hands and an ability to make contested catches while also showing his short area burst to shake defenders. The first touchdown came on a sharp pass from Sanders between three defenders. Davis had to concentrate through traffic and hand-fighting to secure the score. For his next catch, Davis showed off his shiftiness, shaking his defender away just enough to give himself the space to make a sliding grab for his second score.
The wideout followed up his performance last week with 3 more grabs against the Eagles on Saturday, leading the team in receiving yards with 43 and a long reception of 29 off a short pass in the middle of the field from quarterback Dillon Gabriel. He caught the ball in stride and again showed off his speed and shiftiness to gain extra yards, helping push the Browns into Philadelphia territory to kick a field goal to end the first half and bring the score to 12-13.
Davis was a letterman at Ellsworth High School in Ellsworth, Kansas, playing tight end, linebacker, and defensive back. He finished his senior season with 837 yards and 15 touchdowns, which earned him a selection to play in the 2017 Kansas Shrine Bowl. He was the fourth player in Ellsworth school history and first since 1992 to be selected. His lone college offer came from Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kansas, where he primarily played as a returner.
He left Butler to step up in competition and chase his NFL dreams. He was offered to walk-on at Kansas state, and also received offers from Emporia State University, Pittsburg State University, and Northwest Missouri State University, who he ultimately signed with. Davis spent three years with the Bearcats, recording 257 yards on 11 receptions his first year before missing a season due to the COVID year when the team didn't have a season. His final season in college saw him lead the Bearcats in touchdown receptions with 10 and 714 yards receiving and Northwest finished 11-2.
The 26 year-old is making a big impression, getting open consistently in training camp and in preseason competition, building off his solid return game skills that he showcased last year in Baltimore. He and fellow rookie Gage Larvadain can not only make a push for the kick-off return spots, but legitimate roster spots as well. The Browns receiver room is currently made up of Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman as locks, while second year fifth-rounder Jamari Thrash and fourth year third rounder David Bell battle veteran Diontae Johnson for that third receiver spot. Davis has the momentum to build on to become the latest UDFA find by the Browns.