3 Defenders that stood out in the Browns preseason finale

• A sweet homecoming

• A tone setter in the secondary

• A frontal assault

Aug 26, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cleveland Browns safety Juan Thornhill (1) returns an
Aug 26, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cleveland Browns safety Juan Thornhill (1) returns an / Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 3
Next

Defensive standout No. 2: Martin Emerson

It's rare when a player can stand out on defense without recording a tackle or a turnover, but that's just the type of player that Martin Emerson is. The physically imposing corner affected the Browns preseason finale with just his style of play and his physicality.

The Chiefs found themselves deep in their own end on their third drive of the game. Needing 10 yards to get a first down, Chiefs quarterback Shane Buechele attempted a 15-yard in breaking route over the middle of the field. From a scheme and execution perspective it was a perfect play for the Chiefs, Buechele threw a great ball that hit his receiver Cornell Powell right in the hands.

However, the physicality of Emerson changed the outcome of the play. Emerson was playing high-side leverage and crashed down through the back of Powell at the catchpoint causing the ball to ricochet in the air and careen into the arms of safety Rodney McLeod.

Emerson didn't stop to admire his work either. He immediately looked to get a hat on someone and threw a block at the nearest receiver, Justyn Ross. That play encapsulates the physical force that Emerson is in the Cleveland secondary.

Emerson’s physical style of play gives the Browns secondary an edge that the rest of the defense feeds off of. If he stays on his current trajectory by season’s end the rest of the NFL will be forced to take notice.