Cleveland Browns sign 3rd round pick, CB Martin Emerson Jr.

Rookie should see plenty of opportunities as Cleveland’s third cornerback this season.

The Cleveland Browns signed cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. on Thursday.

The Browns selected Emerson in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft with the No. 68 overall selection.

According to Over the Cap’s rookie pool estimate, Emerson’s contract will have a total value of $5.75 million with a signing bonus of $1.36 million. His base salary for 2022 will be $705,000 with a cap hit of just over $1 million.

The 6-foot-2 and 201-pound Emerson appeared in 36 games, making 28 starts, with Mississippi State. He finished his collegiate career with 154 tackles, one interception and 16 passes defended, while posting a coverage grade of 89.6.

Emerson’s size should present a problem for opposing wide receivers, head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Friday (quote via a team-provided transcript):

“Length with corners especially, it allows you at the line of scrimmage to really deter the release of the receiver. As receivers, they want off. They want the ability to sell the go-route and come off the ball. When you are somebody like Martin, they are going to work at the line of scrimmage versus you, but even if they gain six inches, you have maybe 33 inches to go with your length to make them get around you and get you off your precision-timing game.”

With Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome II entrenched as the starting cornerbacks, Emerson will have ample opportunity to show he can handle the third cornerback role during training camp and the preseason.

Emerson will wear No. 23 with the Browns.