Saints CB Ready to Prove He's Ready for his Comeback

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In 2022, the Cleveland Browns chose Mississippi State cornerback Martin Emerson Jr as the 68th overall pick in the NFL Draft. The third round pick would pile up 202-tackles in three seasons in Brown-land. During training camp of 2025, though, the former Bulldog suffered a season-ending Achilles tear, forcing him to miss the entire year.

Emerson would sign with the Saints at the end of April of this year for $1.5-million, essentially a "prove-it" deal. He has certainly done that.

Ready to Go

The fifth-year pro made the Saints 53-man active roster, one of five cornerbacks on the team, and he's ready.

"I feel blessed, thankful," Emerson beamed to the media in the locker room Tuesday, "just ready to go to work with my brothers and see where we take this thing."

The Mississippi State alum made his professional debut in September of 2022 with the Browns in their season-opener against the Panthers, recording five tackles, four of them solo.

Long and Strong

Standing 6' 2" and 201-pounds, Emerson has the length and the strength to take on larger opponents, making him a versatile piece in the Saints secondary. Our outlook is for him to be available in situations as the key reserve. MJ says he's almost in a place where he can really help the team.

"I feel like mentally, I'm there," Emerson told the media. "Physically, I'm there. It's just time to put it out there on the line every single play and just be on my feet every day.

"I'm just so thankful and excited to play ball again and show everybody that I am who I am."

Emerson's Best Ball is Ahead

When asked if he had a moment when he knew he was back from that Achilles tear injury, the former Bulldog was blunt.

"Honestly, I feel like I'm still getting to the point where not (yet) playing my best game," Emerson shared. "I feel like I haven't played my best ball yet, in my career. I feel like my best ball is in front of me. That's what I'm chasing every single day."

He feels his strength is what we talked about earlier: his physicality.

"My ball skills (are one of my strengths)," Emerson pondered, "but just being physical, too, at the point of attack. I try to be physical, but (I'm) rangy, too, you know, a bigger corner."

Despite his absence from the game for a year, the former Brown feels ready for the opportunity.

"I'm pretty sure that (defensive coordinator Brandon) Staley and (defensive backs coach) Grady (Brown) will have us in those situations where we're ready to play," Emerson explained, "and we can just go play fast. That's what I'm excited for. I played preseason games, so those reps, just to get back out there, knock the rust off. Now it's like tunnel vision for our bigger goal as a team, which is, obviously, the Super Bowl."

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