One more year like his first two with the Cleveland Browns and cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. will be known as one of the highest-paid players at his position.
For now, however, some still underestimate him. That may be due to Cleveland playing three cornerbacks at all times and there may be some confusion about Emerson Jr.’s status as a starter since he only comes on the field in nickel sets (which is still 75 percent of the snaps for the Browns).
One analyst, however, is not letting Emerson Jr. fly under the radar. Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar has listed the third-year cornerback out of Mississippi State as the Browns’ most underrated player. He had this to say on the standout:
“Overall last season, regardless of scheme, Emerson gave up 36 catches on 73 targets for 498 yards, 161 yards after the catch, one touchdown, four interceptions, nine pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 53.3 — the fourth-lowest in the NFL among cornerbacks playing at least 50% of their snaps.”
As the Browns look to repeat as the best defensive unit in the NFL, they will need to see continued standout performances from all of their cornerbacks, including Emerson Jr. And something tells me he’s up to the task.