Jan. 4, 2025 — 605 days ago, as of this day — is the last time Martin Emerson Jr. played in a regular-season NFL game.
You'd think the cornerback would be a bit reflective after making the New Orleans Saints' 53-man roster, having sat out the 2025 season due to a ruptured Achilles in July that essentially ended his three-year career with Cleveland. But, nah.
Emerson's emotions more closely resembled a trickle than a flood at the thought of playing in a regular-season opener for the first time since 2024. Happy, for certain, but not overwhelmed, because he simply got back to doing what he has does after signing a one-year deal with the Saints on April 28.
Tally up the OTAs, minicamp, training camp, joint practices and preseason games and the butterflies flittered away long ago.
"I feel like, truthfully, football is football," Emerson said. "I'm gonna be out there and I'm gonna be ready for the moment. No moment is too big for me. Just stay prayed up and get into that playbook. I'm pretty sure that (Defensive Coordinator Brandon) Staley and (cornerbacks) Coach Grady (Brown) will most definitely have us in those situations where we're ready and we can just go play fast. That's what I'm excited for.
"But honestly, I was playing preseason games. I played every game so those reps, just to get back out there, knocked the rust off, knocked the dust off and just got back to playing ball. So now it's like tunnel vision for our bigger goal as a team. I just want to be the best version of me and play hard, and just give it all I've got because I was with a ruptured Achilles, didn't know where I was going to go from that. And now we're here, and I'm thankful."
Emerson generated a noteworthy performance throughout training camp. Each day he seemed to produce another pass breakup or three (in the preseason game against Jacksonville), and quickly became the backup to starter Quincy Riley. When Riley injured his groin in the joint practice against Dallas, Emerson flawlessly joined the No. 1 defense and the 6-foot-2 corner kept producing.
"I would say (my strength is) most definitely ball skills but being physical, too, at the point of attack," he said. "With everything I do, I try to be physical. Rangy, too – a bigger corner. I'm just trying to put everything together and take my game to that next level and be that player I know I can be for this team."
The payoff for the Saints could be huge.
Emerson, Cleveland's third-round pick in 2022, was a starter in '23 and '24. In '23, he had all four of his career interceptions, 14 passes defensed and 59 tackles. In '24, he had a career-high 80 tackles and collected the only forced fumble and only fumble recovery of his career.
It took time to round back into form, and there was no singular moment that he can identify when it clicked. But it has definitely clicked.
"There was a couple of moments I could say, but probably just making plays, whenever I could get my hands on the ball and make a play," he said. "I just tell myself every play (to concentrate on) footwork, technique, be disciplined with my eyes. Honestly, I still feel like I'm getting to the point where I'm trying to play my best game. I haven't played my best ball yet in my career. I feel like my best ball is in front of me and that's what I'm chasing every single day."
Odds and ends
...Rookie safety Lorenzo Styles Jr. was placed on injured reserve.
...Running back Kendre Miller left practice early on Tuesday; he exited the field under his own power.
...The Saints signed free agent receiver Cedric Tillman and tight end Stone Smartt to the practice squad.
...New Orleans was awarded cornerback Decamerion Richardson off waivers from the Raiders.
...Despite minimal return opportunities in training camp and preseason games, rookie receiver Barion Brown is the Saints' primary kick and punt returner. Brown mainly sharpened his receiving skills in camp because the Saints were already familiar with his skills as a returner.
