Browns 2023 NFL Draft pick Martin Emerson Jr. signs with Saints

The Cleveland Browns are officially moving on from cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. as he heads south to join the New Orleans Saints.

It is a bittersweet conclusion for a player who once looked like a future staple of the secondary.

Drafted out of Mississippi State in the third round, Emerson hit the ground running in Northeast Ohio. During his rookie campaign, he was a fixture on the boundary, recording an impressive fifteen passes defended, though he famously failed to haul in an interception. That narrative changed in his sophomore season when he snagged four picks, even if his pass breakup total dipped slightly to fourteen.

What went wrong with Emerson and the Browns

Unfortunately, the momentum stalled during an undeniably disappointing third year where his production hit career lows across the board. Things took an even darker turn last summer when a torn Achilles tendon sidelined him for the entire 2025 season, leaving his future in Cleveland in limbo as his rookie contract expired.

General manager Andrew Berry addressed the possibility of an extension back in March, stating that he would “Selfishly love to have him back but noted the team was realistic about the injury MJ is coming off of.”

With Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell now leading the room, the opportunity for Emerson to regain his starting role just wasn't there.