Texans have perfect opportunity to add a difference maker for DeMeco Ryans’ defense before the 2026 NFL Draft even begins
The Texans may find a great deal late in free agency to improve the depth of their defense.
When it comes to making smart moves in the NFL, value reigns quite often. The Houston Texans have a smart move on their radar ahead of the NFL Draft that would improve DeMeco Ryans’ team immediately.
CB Martin Emerson Jr. visits with Texans during later stages of free agency
According to Ian Rap0port, former Browns cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. is visiting with the Texans. Houston is clearly keeping an eye on addressing the depth and upside in their secondary.
How Emerson’s time with the Browns could help Houston land him
“Emerson looked like a real steal for the Browns early on when they drafted him in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Emerson immediately stepped in as the cornerback opposite Denzel Ward and had a strong first two years as a pro including four interceptions in 2023.
Tragedy hit last training camp when Emerson went down early on with an Achilles injury and he missed all of 2025 as a result. 2024 was a down year for Emerson and 2025 was a chance to bounce back in his “money year”. Emerson is going to battle for a starting spot wherever he lands and he matches up well especially against larger wideouts, which is nice to have.
A cornerback who has shown borderline Pro Bowl-level ability early on in his career. Now it’ll be all about what Emerson looks like after the injury.” — Brandon Little, A to Z Sports
Browns GM Andrew Berry made it fairly clear recently that Emerson may not be back in the fold for Cleveland’s secondary. His comments left the door open, but it felt like more of a hint he would not be back.
For Houston, that has become an intriguing opportunity to get involved.
“Absolutely love MJ., both as a person and as a player,” Berry said at the NFL Annual League Meeting. “Selfishly, I would love to have him back. I think we’re also realistic that with MJ and the injury that he’s coming off of, to reach his personal goals, he’s also got to be in a position where he has maybe a strong opportunity to compete for a starting spot.”
Coming off the injury, Emerson’s price tag probably won’t be nearly what was expected even just a year ago. Instead, Houston could jump on value here and add a talented player with everything to prove.
Some of these deals made once free agency dies down a bit end up being the most valuable for contending teams. Emerson could look for just a short-term deal to prove the injury won’t slow him down going forward, and that’s a big-time chance for the Texans to take advantage of for 2026.
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