Undrafted rookies are always easy to root for during training camp, and while Cleveland Browns’ cornerback Michael Coats Jr. was hardly a lock to make the initial 53-man roster, he had made a compelling case through two preseason games.
Coats’ momentum took a major hit during practice this week when he suffered a lower body injury that led to him getting carted off the field. The severity of the injury remains unknown, as teams aren’t required to release that information during the preseason. But the Browns’ latest waiver claim could speak volumes.
Hours before Thursday’s preseason finale against the New England Patriots, the Browns officially waived wide receiver Cedric Tillman and claimed cornerback Mekhi Blackmon off of waivers.
With roster cutdowns now just days away, Blackmon, a third-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 2023, has a strong chance to make Cleveland’s roster off the street as the team scrambles to find depth on the boundary behind starters Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell.
Cleveland’s decision to claim Mekhi Blackmon is a troubling sign for training camp standout Michael Coats Jr.
Coats emerged as one of the feel-good stories of Browns training camp. He was originally expected to compete with Myles Harden at the nickel spot due to his smaller size at 5-foot-10, 185 pounds. The West Virginia product played much bigger than that in his 53 preseason snaps on defense.
He mixed in at both the slot and boundary in preseason Game 1 against Chicago and made two memorable plays, including a diving interception off Bears backup Tyson Bagent. His best play may have come earlier — a textbook pass breakup on a third-down pass down the sideline that saw Coats time his break on the ball perfectly.
The Browns gave him a longer look as a true outside corner in preseason Game 2 against the Bills, though an injury shortened his stint in that one. He was still extremely effective, making a couple of tackles while not giving up a catch in coverage, per Pro Football Focus.
Depending on where Coats stands with his injury, it’s possible the Browns look to stash him on injured reserve or try to sneak him through waivers and back onto the practice squad. He was having a strong camp.
But with Blackmon profiling as more of a pure boundary corner, it appears Coats’ potential spot on the active roster was just filled.
Mekhi Blackmon’s NFL journey will sound familiar to Cleveland Browns fans
Blackmon was a third-round draft pick of the Vikings whose trajectory was derailed by a torn ACL suffered on the first day of training camp in 2024. That should sound all-too-familiar to Browns fans.
Cleveland’s own third-round pick, Martin Emerson Jr., had emerged as a potential long-term starter before an Achilles injury on Day 1 of 2025 training camp cost him the final season of his rookie contract. Emerson became a free agent this offseason and wound up signing late with the New Orleans Saints.
Why the Browns didn’t look to bring Emerson back remains a fair question. General manager Andrew Berry hinted to reporters at the annual league meeting that the Browns wanted to allow Emerson the opportunity to test his market and find a better opportunity for playing time.
It’s hard to find more opportunities at cornerback than Cleveland right now, though. The Browns have been down to special teams players and UDFAs over the last couple weeks of camp due to injuries, and both Ward and Campbell have a history of injuries themselves.
Blackmon, who was waived by the Vikings last summer, played a prominent role for the Colts last season, logging 784 total snaps. But according to Vikings writer Chris Schad of The Viking Age, his stats didn’t always pass the eye test: “While Blackmon had solid stats of 64 tackles, two interceptions, and seven pass breakups last season, he was torched frequently during preseason games and joint practices, surrendering six catches for 74 yards on seven targets, according to PFF,” Schad wrote after Blackmon was waived by Indianapolis this week.
With Coats going down, the Browns have officially entered beggars-can't-be-choosers territory. The Blackmon move will hardly solve their depth problems in the secondary, but he’s healthy and has been productive in spurts in the past.
That appears to be good enough for a roster spot to start the season.
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