BEREA, Ohio — Martin Emerson Jr. is the first to admit that through the first five games of the 2024 season, he has not played as well as he did a year ago.
“Last year I didn’t give up a touchdown, so no,“ the Browns third-year cornerback said on Wednesday. ”No, not right now. Not at this point.
“I’m not playing the ball that I want to play right now. Of course not. If I give up anything, that’s my job is to eliminate whatever receiver I’m covering at that moment. So of course if I give up anything, me being passionate and the competitor I am, I’m gonna be hard on myself for sure.”
Emerson was the most-targeted DB on the Browns last year, and allowed only 36 receptions on 73 targets, adding in four interceptions. He entered 2024 talking about his Pro Bowl aspirations.
But through five games, as Cleveland has faltered in a 1-4 start and the defense has struggled to tackle consistently, Emerson has gotten some tough matchups individually.
He’s been credited with allowing three touchdowns: A 21-yard score by Brandin Cooks in a 33-17 loss to the Cowboys, a play where there was a miscommunication between him and safety Juan Thornhill; a 3-yard catch by Giants rookie Malik Nabers in a 21-15 loss; and a 41-yard catch by Commanders receiver Dyami Brown in a 34-13 loss last week.
That Brown touchdown gave the Commanders a commanding 24-3 lead going into the half on Sunday and it concluded a drive full of tough assignments for Emerson.
Three snaps earlier on second-and-3, the Browns corner was matched up with Brown on a deep route, as Jayden Daniels threw an incompletion to tight end Zach Ertz.
The next two plays, Emerson was matched up with Olamide Zaccheaus, first on a slant route, and then on dig route as Daniels scrambled.
After that dig route, as Emerson stood on the hashmarks nearest to the Commanders’ sideline, he tapped on his helmet, signaling to the Browns sideline for a sub.
They left him in, however. And Washington noticed he was fatigued.
“I was tapping, so I’m on their sideline,” Emerson said. “I ran to the other hash to try to just to get a blow. I’m pretty sure the (Washington) coaches probably seen that. I pressed-bailed it, thinking that I had enough gasoline to play that technique and just got to find a way to be better, run it even more.”
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Indeed, the press-bail technique did not work, as Emerson stayed close with Brown before letting up near the 30. But Brown didn’t release, and turned on the gas more heading for the end zone. Daniels delivered the perfect ball, throwing Brown open for the 41-yard score.
“We was in man for some plays in a row,” Emerson said. “The quarterback’s running out the pocket, scramble drill. I got two fades before that, got a dig and then I got a scramble drill, but the quarterback was running, so I was pretty gassed. It was just because of how much I was running on that series.
“I just got to play off in that instance. I could, but I didn’t want to give him a pitch and catch, anything really easy to get in field goal range.”
After the play, Emerson went over to the bench and had discussions with fellow cornerback Greg Newsome II, veteran safety Rodney McLeod, and cornerbacks coach Brandon Lynch.
“At the end of the day, they get paid too,” Newsome said after the game Sunday, when asked about that conversation. “We try to reach perfection, but at the same time, it’s hard to do that. It’s something that’s rarely happening, someone being perfect.
“So just trying to get his mental good, but he’s a good guy that’s able to persevere through things like that. So just trying to let him know we trust you. We know you’ll make that the next time.”
So far in 2024, Emerson has allowed 16 catches on 25 targets, given up 193 yards, three touchdowns, and has missed seven tackles. In year three, if his production continues on this path, he would be poised to put up career-worst numbers.
He’s hardly at fault alone, though. The defense has taken a step back and is currently the 13th-ranked unit in the league (allowing 326 yards per game) after being ranked the top unit a year ago.
“It’s just something we have to figure out as a whole and figure it out together fast,” he said.
The Browns have plenty of faith that he will be able to turn this performance around.
“M.J. is a good player,” coach Kevin Stefanski said. “He’s played really well for us. It’s an occupational hazard in this league if you’re playing corner, you’re going to get beat a few times. He bounces back. He has the right mindset. We expect him to make plays for us and he’ll do that.”
Emerson isn’t backing down either.
“I don’t shy away from the competition at all,“ he said. ”I just got to be better and just make my plays. I feel like I played a pretty good game except for that play, you know what I’m saying? So that’s the position we play.”
