A very fun new addition.
The New Orleans Saints have frankly been on a roll. The 2026 NFL Draft was, at leasts at face value, a success for New Orleans, and now going into training camp season, hope is high throughout the roster. There is so much to be excited about, especially the rookie class.
Still, needs around the roster remain, and with options limited throughout free agency, the Saints would need to be very selective in the players they bring in. Right after the final draft day, New Orleans signed EDGE/OLB Anfernee Jennings to a deal, which addressed one of their top needs. This was a great start, but more work needed to be done, which is why the Saints then found a new CB in free agency.
Shortly after it was revealed the Saints would have a meeting with former Cleveland Browns CB Martin Emerson Jr., the team ended up signing Emerson Jr. to a short term deal.
After the NFL Draft, GM Mickey Loomis revealed that the team wanted to get a CB, but the picks just never fell that way. Something similar happened last season with the WR position, which led to New Orleans trading for Devaughn Vele. Since Kellen Moore has been hired, the self-scouting within this team has been really good, and understanding what is wrong and what needs to be fixed is at the forefront of any decision.
That leads us to this new signing. The Saints CB group struggled a bit last season, and that was with Alontae Taylor in the lineup. Taylor is now on the Tennessee Titans, and the Saints did not find his replacement. There is a chance they go with a safety there, but after singing Emerson, there is some new flexibility. When healthy, Emerson is a great CB in the NFL, so he will be fighting for starting reps right away. This may cause the Saints to move Quincy Riley to the slot, and that may be an even better group than last year.
With the Browns, Emerson primarily played on the outside, so he won't be that slot option for New Orleans, but as I said, he will push for a starting spot. Looking at the group as a whole, it may not have names that jump off the page like Marshon Lattimore did, but it is a pretty good group, especially with the new additions of Emerson and TJ Hall.