The Cleveland Browns enter the 2026 offseason at a crossroads. The front office is reshaping its roster after a brutal 2025 campaign. while all eyes are on the trenches. A quiet but significant story is developing in the secondary. One of Cleveland’s own former cornerstone pieces looks set to walk out the door.
Martin Emerson Jr. burst onto the scene as a steal in the 2022 third round. Then injuries hit. The third-year corner finds himself staring at an uncertain future in Cleveland with free agency days away.
Browns Could Move On from CB Martin Emerson Jr. as Free Agency Looms
Cleveland Browns, Martin Emerson Jr.
Jul 28, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (1) during training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Browns traded for cornerback Tyson Campbell from the Jacksonville Jaguars back in 2025. A move that locked up both boundary spots opposite Denzel Ward. With Campbell under contract through 2028. There simply isn’t a natural starting role for Martin Emerson Jr. anymore. As reported by ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi, Browns GM Andrew Berry confirmed what many already suspected.
“The 2022 third-round pick appeared to be on a Pro Bowl track before he struggled in 2024 and had an Achilles injury that cost him the 2025 season. General manager Andrew Berry acknowledged that Emerson’s future in Cleveland is ‘unsettled.’ With Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell entrenched as starters, Emerson could look for a new opportunity elsewhere to bounce back from his injury.”
Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN reports that the Browns could move on from CB Martin Emerson Jr. as he enters free agency, with his future in Cleveland considered "unsettled."
"The 2022 third-round pick appeared to be on a Pro Bowl track before he struggled in 2024 and had an Achilles… pic.twitter.com/FUTdKPdqXG
— BrownsNation.com (@BrownsNationcom) March 7, 2026
The Achilles tendon tear occurred during training camp. This wiped out his entire 2025 season. The 2025 campaign was supposed to be Emerson’s contract year. His a shot at cashing in after four interceptions and a dominant 2023 showing.
The 25-year-old missed everything. He enters free agency carrying injury uncertainty. He has no recent game tape and a depth chart that’s simply moved on without him.
Yardbarker’s Ty Kohler still floated the possibility of a one-year prove-it deal. Kohler noted that the nickel spot remains a need after Myles Harden’s disappointing performance. But even that feels like a long shot given how the roster has shifted.
Martin Emerson Jr. was a real find when Berry selected him. Injuries and roster construction have conspired against him in Cleveland. Wherever he goes next, expect him to sign a one-year contract that serves as a chance to prove himself. A chance to show the league his Achilles is behind him and his 2023 form isn’t a distant memory.