SEATTLE — From the moment he went undrafted, Cowboys rookie wide receiver Camden Brown has had, what he calls, an edge. Not in an angry or guarded way, but in a sharpened focus and a clearer appreciation for the chance to play football.
“It’s from the way you wake up,” Brown said. “From the day you wake up every day, you don’t feel complacent. You wake up with an edge, showing gratitude. You don’t show up and be like 'Man, I’ve got to survive today.' No, you don’t want to be like that.”
Instead of defeating him, going undrafted motivated him. The reminder of how fragile a football life can be reminded him to live it to the fullest.
“It was a great feeling,” he said unironically about the day he went undrafted, “because I feel like it was another chance to prove people wrong.”
It’s a chance he continues to capitalize on.
Brown took on a starring role in Saturday’s 17-7 preseason win over the Seattle Seahawks. Brown finished with three catches for 62 yards and two highlight-reel touchdown catches. The first was a 39-yard heave from quarterback Sam Howell that Brown caught despite tight coverage. The second was a fade from Joe Milton that looked like it might be out of Brown’s range, until he reached out with one hand and snagged it.
“I told him the other day, when I’ve seen him make plays in practice, it turns me up,” said undrafted tight end Michael Trigg, who had a team-high four catches for 30 yards. “Like it makes me get a little riled up, so I need to make a play now when I see him make a great play. He’s a great player.”
It may have been a different field for Brown, but the results were similar. He set the Georgia Southern school record for touchdown catches in a season last year with 14. During training camp, he’s shown the same ability, rising the depth chart.
“The game is not too big for him,” Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said. “He does it every, every day in practice. We see it all the time.”
But even Brown, with a big smile, could recognize Saturday was a little different.
“It’s how your dreams become a reality,” he said.
Speaking of reality: after the way Brown played Saturday, and after the way he’s played in training camp, it’s now realistic to consider him a major competitor in the race for one of the team’s final receiver spots. The top four spots are spoken for from CeeDee Lamb, to George Pickens, to Ryan Flournoy and to return specialist KaVontae Turpin. After Saturday’s game, when Brown was speaking with reporters, all four of them walked by and kept saying Cam’s name in unison.
Brown’s entered the conversation for more than just his receiving ability, however. He rose the depth chart on special teams. There was a kickoff return where Brown was seen blocking his opponent downfield and up to the whistle. He and a teammate celebrated after.
“What I love about him is he does the little things, too,” Schottenheimer said. “You watch him on special teams and one-on-one drills and things like that: he realizes that’s how you make this football team.
“That stuff matters.”
There’s still a long way until Brown can earn a spot on the roster, though. The Cowboys have a joint practice against the New Orleans Saints on Tuesday. They have two more preseason games after that.
“He had a really good day,” Schottenheimer said of Brown, “but he’s got to keep stacking days, like he’s been doing.”
And ultimately, Brown has to keep proving people wrong. He had to keep his edge. He has an inspiration for it.
Brown wore the picture of his younger sister, Kaden Storm Brown, around his neck after the game. She passed away Aug. 13, 2021. In an Instagram post announcing her death, Brown marked his location as “heart broken.” Brown said that his sister was not expected to live past 3 years old due to kidney failure. Instead, she lived well beyond that.
“My little sister right here,” Brown said pointing to his necklace, “she done proved everybody wrong. So that’s just who I am. That’s the way my family is built. We always prove everybody wrong.”
Brown continues to show it. Thursday marked the five-year anniversary of his sister’s passing. He said this past week was tough for him. Two days later, he had a breakout performance on an NFL field. He started to smile when he thought about what his sister would tell him if she could.
“She’d be proud of me,” Brown said. “She’s smiling right now. That’s how I live through it. She’s smiling at me, and I’m happy for it.”
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