The Cleveland Browns’ defense was supposed to be the backbone of the team in 2024, but they regressed considerably from what was arguably the league’s best defense in 2023 due to a number of injuries on that side of the ball, as well as some ghastly performances by the offense that consistently put them in bad situations.
There is reason to hope that 2025’s defense can be much improved, especially if one defender who is being called to “emerge” this season can step up to help atone for a recent devastating injury to the secondary.
Now that Martin Emerson is out for the year with a torn Achilles, Mac Blank from Dawg Pound Daily believes it’s time for Cam Mitchell to emerge and ease the loss.
“With the CB room having to shift around due to MJ Emerson’s injury – Cam Mitchell needs to emerge in his 3rd year,” Blank posted on X.
With the CB room having to shift around due to MJ Emerson’s injury- Cam Mitchell needs to emerge in his 3rd year
5 TDs in 434 career coverage snaps. Every offense will target him with Denzel and Greg on the outside #Browns #DawgPound
pic.twitter.com/3pPSRpDIMN— Mac🦬 (@tha_buffalo) August 1, 2025
Mitchell is still just 23 years old and appeared in all 17 games last season, logging 24 tackles and a pair of pass deflections.
Blank pointed out that if Mitchell does wind up seeing extended time at nickel alongside Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome, he could get attacked quite a bit, considering how proven those other two corners are.
Whether or not he is up to the challenge remains to be seen, but if he can take that next step forward and make the loss of Emerson less damaging, it could elevate this entire defense.
Losing Emerson still hurts, especially on the heels of such an injury-prone defensive season last year, but Mitchell and others have to embody the “next man up” mentality and get this defense back to what it was in 2023.
NEXT: Long-Term Concerns Brewing For Key Browns Unit
