NFL free agency and internal CB solutions for Browns after injury to MJ Emerson

The defense has taken another hit

The Cleveland Browns had high hopes of getting their defense back to an elite group after being ranked #1 just a season ago. Then, MLB Jordan Hicks retired, and now CB MJ Emerson is lost for the year with an Achilles tear.

RELATED: MARTIN EMERSON INJURY UPDATE

All three linebacker spots will feature a new face. At least one defensive tackle, if not two, will be different, and one defensive end, along with one new safety.

That is a lot of newness.

And now, with the injury to Emerson in a practice session, the right outside cornerback spot will highlight a new guy opposite Pro Bowler Denzel Ward.

The most obvious to insert would be Greg Newsome, who manned the position before Emerson was drafted in 2022. After a strong rookie showing, by midseason, Emerson had bumped Newsome out of the right corner spot and was then moved to occupy the slot.

And that combination has been what the defense has offered since, which has worked well.

But now? What are the options?

In-house

Moving Newhouse into that right outside cornerback position is probably the best option. That does mean the defense will have to adjust to new players at two new positions. If Newsome is yanked from the slot and into Emerson’s spot, that means someone new must be inserted into Newsome’s vacant position.

If that is how DC Jim Schwartz sees it, then who is most logical to become the slot guy?

Right off, there are two candidates: Cam Mitchell and Myles Harden.

The coaching staff loves Mitchell. They have spent a lot of time investing in his development, and are satisfied with his timeline. Now, maybe they weren’t quite ready to insert him into a starting role, but that luxury has come and gone, and here it is.

Mitchell came to the Browns as a fifth-round draft pick in 2023 out of Northwestern, just like Newsome. He played in 13 games as a rookie and played every game last year. He has yet to secure his first NFL interception, but is a good run support player and a willing tackler. He has 4.47 speed and tracks the ball well with natural ball skills. In college, quarterbacks avoided throwing to his side of the field.

He can be a bit too handsy and will get beaten over the top at times. And Mitchell has a habit of being hesitant when facing the action in zone coverage. Last year, Mitchell had 372 snaps, or 34% of defensive reps, which means he was the first cornerback off the bench.

Harden has less experience than Mitchell but just needs more experience at this level. He was a seventh-round draft pick in last year’s draft out of South Dakota. He became injured with a shin issue in his rookie season that landed him on IR until his rehab was completed, then he returned to action for the final four games. In his first NFL game in Week 14 against the Kansas City Chiefs, he was inserted on 41 defensive snaps. In the final three contests, he was mainly a special teams player.

He runs a 4.5 and was considered a draft steal. Harden has experience in both man and zone coverage schemes with keen awareness and vision. He also shows a rapid response to the run and screen game with a high football IQ.

The knock on him is that he has an injury history and lacks top-end speed to match elite receivers. He also has shorter-than-ideal arm length, which limits effectiveness in press coverage.

What if Schwartz leaves Newsome at the slot? That would mean there is only one new guy to insert into the starting lineup instead of disrupting the lineup with two new players at two new positions.

The answer with the current roster would be the dark horse: Nik Needham.

Not a lot is being said about Needham, but he has a ton of experience and is versatile. He also knows a thing or two about Achilles injuries because his career was sidelined for an entire season when he tore a tendon in 2022 and has played minimally since.

But now, he is fully healed, has a rested body, and is ready to take on the challenge of a complete season either as a role player or inserted as a starter.

Needham went undrafted in the 2019 NFL draft and signed with the Miami Dolphins. He spent a limited time on the practice squad, and once promoted, he became a starter and was one of the positive stories from that season. Miami even placed a second-round tender on him.

This is an NFL starting-caliber cornerback that can play outside corner, slot, or even safety. He is a six-year veteran who was signed to become a veteran depth piece, adding experience and leadership. Now, he just may be inserted opposite Ward and relied upon to start now.

NFL free agency

Browns GM Andrew Berry just might want to reach out and sign a free agent cornerback. Here are three to consider:

Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Asante Samuel Jr.

5’-10”, 180 pounds

Age: 25

40 time: 4.41

NFL experience: 4 years

2024 PFF grade: 59.3

It is true that Samuel has disappointed since being drafted in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Chargers. But he has played in 50 NFL games and started 47, so he has good experience already and is still a young man.

Last year, after playing in just four games, Samuel was placed on IR with a shoulder injury on October 12, 2024. It has been a query why he remains on the open market, but no one knew if his health was intact or pending. It’s been a grand mystery, but revealed that he underwent neck surgery in April. Samuel had a check-up in early July, but has not been cleared. That analysis is pending any day now.

When he is cleared, Samuel has the ability to seriously upgrade a defense.

NFL stats: 50 games played with 47 starts, 176 total tackles, 3 tackles for loss, zero sacks, one fumble recovery, 37 batted passes, and 6 interceptions.

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Rasul Douglas

6’-2”, 209 pounds

Age: 29

40 time: 4.59

NFL experience: 9 years

2024 PFF grade: 59.2

If Berry wants a guy with a ton of experience, that is Douglas. He is a former third-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles and played for Schwartz for three seasons. This means he already knows the defense and would be a plug-and-play guy.

Douglas is physically imposing and is a hard hitter. He routinely bats away passes and shows great hustle chasing down the ball carrier. He uses his unique physical tools, but he is not a fast cornerback. He has the size and the arm length to jam a receiver and throw him off early on. He has had a lot of experience with Cover 3 and is a talented cornerback despite his lack of ideal speed.

NFL stats: 106 games played with 75 starts, 441 total tackles, 23 tackles for loss, two sacks, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, 76 batted passes, 19 interceptions, three pick-sixes, three QB hits, one knockdown, and three pressures.

Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Cameron Sutton

5’-11”, 188 pounds

Age: 30

40 time: 4.52

NFL experience: 8 years

2024 PFF grade: 53.5

Another guy with plenty of NFL experience, most notably with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who drafted him in Round 3 in 2017. He did experience an eight-game suspension last year for violating the personal conduct policy regarding a domestic battery case. So, there’s that. He did return and play the final nine games, and the case was ultimately dismissed.

Sutton is a bit undersized and would be slated as the slot corner. Sutton’s best attribute is his footwork. He’s quick and balanced, capable of changing directions on the fly and sticking on a receiver’s hip while in man coverage. He’s proven he can do that both on the outside and in the slot. Sutton is instinctive and anticipates routes well from a pre-snap look.

NFL stats: 110 games played with 58 starts, 248 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, two sacks, six forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, 47 batted passes, 9 interceptions, three QB hits, two knockdowns, four hurries, and eight pressures.