Damion Willis picked up by Cleveland Browns

Published 7:38 pm Thursday, August 27, 2020

Former Southeast Lauderdale and East Mississippi Community College wide receiver Damion Willis is heading to the Cleveland Browns.

Willis began his NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent a year ago and was waived by the team Tuesday before the Browns claimed him off waivers Wednesday. After making some noise in the Bengals’ preseason camp last fall, Willis started twice in the regular season and played in 10 total games for Cincinnati in 2019, catching nine passes for 82 yards.

“This is a great opportunity for me to restart my NFL career,” said Willis, who is listed at 6-foot-3 and 204 pounds on NFL.com. “I hated that it had to end in Cincinnati, but I can’t look back. I just have to keep looking forward.”

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Willis said he’s mostly stayed indoors except to go to rehab for an ankle injury he suffered last season. 

“The ankle is still not 100%,” Willis said. “It’s definitely a work in progress.”

Even with a rehabbing ankle, Willis said his mindset hasn’t changed as he heads to the Browns’ training camp.

“I’m just going to go in and do what I was doing last year, compete and make plays,” Willis said. “I enjoy competing. They’re supposed to bring me the playbook here to the hotel, so hopefully when I get (to camp) Saturday I can jump in the rotation.”

A 2015 graduate of Southeast Lauderdale, Willis played college football at Troy following his two years at EMCC.