Browns Should Immediately Sign This Martin Emerson Jr. Replacement

The Cleveland Browns should act quickly following the Achilles injury to cornerback Martin Emerson Jr.

Jul 26, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (1) talks to cornerback Denzel Ward (21) and safety Grant Delpit (9) during training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Cleveland Browns cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. suffered an Achilles injury in practice on Tuesday, and chances are, he will be sidelined for the season.

Now, the Browns are incredibly thin at cornerback, with Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome II serving as their only truly reliable players at the position.

As a result, Cleveland may need to make another move, unless it genuinely feels that Cameron Mitchell is ready to step in and fill that void.

Fortunately for the Browns, there are some intriguing cornerback options remaining in free agency, and the best fit for them is Asante Samuel Jr.

Samuel remains unsigned as a result of a neck surgery he underwent to repair an injury he suffered during the 2024 campaign with the Los Angeles Chargers, but he should be good to go for the 2025 NFL season. And if not right off the bat, then at least at some point.

There are a lot of things to like about Samuel.

He is just 25 years old, so he would actually have a chance to grow with the Browns moving forward. He was also pretty good during his four-year stint with the Chargers to begin his career.

Cleveland definitely needs to do something here in order to shore up its secondary. Heck, the Browns lacked cornerback depth before Emerson's injury, so now, they may as well sound the alarm.

Stephon Gilmore and Rasul Douglas are also available, but they are probably too old for Cleveland's taste, and neither would probably want to join the Browns anyway.

Samuel, on the other hand, might be open to a one-year, incentive-laden contract with the Browns in order to rebuild his reputation and position himself for a potentially lucrative multi-year deal next year. And who knows? If he plays well in Cleveland, perhaps the Browns would re-sign him, especially with both Newsome and Emerson slated to hit free agency next March.

Cleveland needs to act quickly, and Samuel is right there for the taking.

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