When it rains, it pours for the Cleveland Browns. Todd Monken's team can't seem to catch a break lately, and while some of the bad news has been self-inflicted and avoidable, others are just brutal luck.
Shortly after losing starting defensive end Alex Wright to a season-ending injury, the Browns' already-thin defensive depth might've taken another brutal hit. Training camp standout Michael Coats Jr. may also be set to miss some time.
According to multiple reports, the rookie cornerback came down on his ankle awkwardly while trying to make a play in coverage during Tuesday's practice. He had to be helped off the field and ultimately carted off, which is never an encouraging sign.
It appears #Browns CB Michael Coats Jr. came down on his ankle wrong while in coverage, leading to him being helped off the field and then carted off from practice today. pic.twitter.com/epbggStaVJ
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) August 25, 2026
Michael Coats Jr.'s injury puts the Browns' CB depth to the test
Coats looked like the Browns' next big discovery. An undrafted free agent out of West Virginia, he had been making plays all through training camp, even recording an interception in Week 1 of the preseason against the Chicago Bears.
He had done enough to not only enter the 53-man roster conversation, but to emerge as the team's No. 3 boundary cornerback behind Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell. There's still no word on the severity of Coats' injury, but the Browns were already dangerously thin at the position before he went down.
Letting a proven commodity like Martin Emerson Jr. go was clearly a mistake. Even if he had a down year in 2024, prior to the training camp injury that cost him all of 2025, he had shown more than enough upside to be worth a flier on a short-term deal.
As things stand now, D'Angelo Ross and Tre Avery look like the strongest candidates to claim Coats' presumed spot on the 53-man roster. Slot specialist Myles Harden will likely round out the group, with rookie Emmanuel McNeil-Warren likely to mix in as well as a third safety.
On paper, the Browns should still have one of the best defenses in the NFL. Mike Rutenberg's unit has been flying around, forcing turnovers, and living in the offensive backfield since the start of spring workouts, but they could be another injury or two away from major issues.
Hopefully, Coats' injury will only be a scare. Regardless of whether they keep him around for Week 1 and beyond, general manager Andrew Berry should be working the phones and the waiver wire to try to add some much-needed depth.
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