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After a brutal showing in 2024, falling to 3-14 after a very successful 2023 season, the Cleveland Browns are looking to get back to the NFL promised land and prove once more that they can be a contender in the ever-competitive AFC North.
Unfortunately, they will almost certainly have to do so one man down, as cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. went down during training camp and is now feared to have torn his Achilles tendon, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
“Sources to me and Ian Rapoport: Browns CB Martin Emerson Jr. suffered what's an Achilles injury in today's practice,” Tom Pelissero wrote. “He'll undergo imaging to determine the full extent of the injury, but the expectation is it's a significant tear.”
Originally drafted in the third round out of Mississippi State, Emerson was a bit of a polarizing prospect due to his seeming scheme figidity. Fortunately, Emerson landed in Cleveland, where defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz likes to press his large, long cornerbacks at the line of scrimmage. After being a part-time starter in 2022, Emerson has started more games in each of his two subsequent seasons, playing 829 snaps in 2024 as a near-full-time starter.
Heading into 2025, Emerson was widely expected to play a big role in the secondary once more, likely playing outside cornerback opposite Denzel Ward when Greng Newsome II shifted into the slot in nickel and dime packages. Assuming Emerson's initial prognosis proves true, and he does miss the rest of the season with an Achilles injury, the Browns will have to look elsewhere for their third cornerback, be that a veteran like Tony Brown Jr. or a younger player like Chigozie Anusiem. Technically, there are a few veteran options still on he open market like James Bradberry or Rasul Douglas, and there are certainly trades to be had, but there's no two ways about it: Emerson's absence will make the Browns a worse team this fall.
Sources to me and @RapSheet: #Browns CB Martin Emerson Jr. suffered what’s an Achilles injury in today’s practice. He’ll undergo imaging to determine the full extent of the injury but the expectation is it’s a significant tear. pic.twitter.com/q11qHerFnM
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) July 29, 2025
