The 2025-2026 Cleveland Browns season hasn’t even started yet, and already, the defense can’t catch a break.
During Tuesday’s practice, 3rd year cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. suffered an achilles injury. The former Mississippi State Bulldog was carted off the field, as players, coaches, and fans looked on with concern. Emerson is scheduled to have an MRI to assess the severity of the injury. According to Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, it’s believed to be a ruptured achilles, which would be a season-ending injury. This comes at an inconvenient time for Emerson as he attempted to bounce back from a disappointing 2024 season where he posted a 47.9 PFF grade, 26th worse among cornerbacks.
With Emerson’s 2025 season most likely over, the Browns find themselves thin at the corner position. All-Pro Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome are now the only CBs on the team with significant starting experience. The other cornerbacks currently on the roster, Cameron Mitchell and Tony Brown, have a combined 8 career starts between them. Depending on how much faith Head Coach Kevin Stefanski has in the backups, it might be best to look in free agency for Emerson’s replacement. With notable CBs like former Super Bowl champion Stephon Gilmore and Asante Samuel Jr., the free agency pool is certainly talented.
Martin Emerson Jr.’s name adds to a long list on Cleveland’s injury report. RB Jerome Ford(undisclosed) and projected starter QB Kenny Pickett(hamstring) are both questionable for the start of the season. DT Mike Hall Jr.(knee) and QB Deshaun Watson (achilles) are both expected to miss several weeks rehabbing from injuries sustained last season. Not to mention, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah’s uncertain future as he attempts to come back from a freak neck injury. The sudden retirement of starting linebacker Jordan Hicks also throws a wrench in things personal-wise.
In a division where you deal with the brute physicality of A.J. Brown, the video game-like agility of Zay Flowers, and the big play ability of Jamarr Chase; an injured CB could be devastating for a team. Whether or not a suitable replacement can be found in-house or elsewhere remains to be seen. Fans will have to wait until 2026 to see Emerson rejoin the defensive backfield.
We here at CST all wish Martin Emerson Jr. a speedy recovery.
The post M.J. Emerson Suffers Season-Ending Injury, What This Means For Browns. appeared first on Cleveland Sports Talk .