The Cleveland Browns have a talent-laden roster, as evidenced by the fact that they managed to win 11 games last season in spite of shuffling through five different starting quarterbacks.
Going into 2024, the Browns are one of the biggest wild cards in the NFL. They could be legitimate Super Bowl contenders if Deshaun Watson rediscovers his old form, or they could miss the playoffs entirely thanks to the difficulty of the AFC North division.
We all know that Watson is the key. But what about some of the lesser-known players who could potentially break out?
Here are a couple of guys to look out for come September.
Jerome Ford, RB
Nick Chubb isn't ruling out a Week 1 return, but realistically speaking, he probably won't be ready to get back on the field by then. Heck, it stands to reason that he might not be prepared to retake the gridiron until the second half of the campaign, if at all.
That places all the more importance on running back Jerome Ford, who will be serving as the Browns' featured back in Chubb's stead.
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Ford got considerable playing time last year and was rather pedestrian, rushing for 813 yards and four touchdowns while averaging four yards per carry. He did, however, haul in 44 receptions for 319 yards and five scores, deomosntrating that he could be a viable receiving threat out of the backfield.
The 24-year-old also did put together some impressive performances on the ground in 2023, but he was rather inconsistent in that department. His most eye-opening outing last season probably came in Week 10, when he racked up 107 rushing yards on 17 carries against a stout Baltimore Ravens defense.
Cleveland will definitely need Ford to produce in 2024 with Chubb sidelined indefinitely. He will be sharing some touches with D'Onta Foreman, but Ford will probably get the bulk of the carries.
Martin Emerson Jr., CB
The Browns have one of the best secondaries in football, but the most known commodities in their defensive backfield are cornerback Denzel Ward and safety Grant Delpit.
Few fans outside of Cleveland are aware of cornerback Martin Emerson Jr., who enjoyed a very impressive sophomore campaign in which he registered 59 tackles, four interceptions and 14 passes defended in 2023.
Emerson was terrific in single coverage, utilizing his great size (6-foot-2) and solid athleticism to play a smart, physical brand of football with opposing wide receivers.
So, why hasn't Emerson gotten much national attention?
Well, for starters, the Browns don't get a whole lot of nationwide media attention in general. But also, Ward is the best player in Cleveland's secondary and overshadowed Emerson throughout last season.
Think about this: Emerson was so impressive last season that it actually made fellow corner Greg Newsome II somewhat expendable, as Newsome's name was bandied about in trade rumors earlier this offseason.
Emerson's emergence will make it easier for the Browns to potentially part ways with Newsome if they decide they don't want to pay his $13.4 million salary for 2025.
