In Kevin Stefanski's first offseason as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, fans should expect a flurry of changes to be made. This Falcons roster he's inheriting is talented, but they haven't made the playoffs in eight years, so he'll evidently have his work cut out for him in finally breaking that drought.
Just like he brought several coaches from Cleveland to Atlanta in order to fulfill his vision, the same could be said for the roster. As a five-win team, the Browns don't have a bunch of desirable pieces, but they do have a few impending free agents the Falcons could sign at a discount that make sense.
However, the player who makes the most sense is someone Stefanski helped draft in Cleveland. He's not the flashiest name available, but Martin Emerson Jr. has proven to be a quality starting cornerback and could be relatively cheap for the Dirty Birds to acquire due to some recent struggles.
Dee Alford appears to be as good as gone and Billy Bowman Jr. isn't much more than a serviceable slot corner, so the Falcons desperately need more cornerback help beyond A.J. Terrell and Mike Hughes, both of whom also had down seasons, so Emerson is more than worth taking a flyer on.
Martin Emerson Jr. could be an option for the Falcons in free agency because of his ties to Kevin Stefanski
The 2022 third-round pick from Mississippi State missed all of 2025 due to an Achilles tear suffered during training camp, so there's some risk involved in signing a player who hasn't played a down of football since 2024, especially since he has gotten worse since a standout rookie year.
Jeff Ulbrich is a master at getting the most out of young players with potential (see Divine Deablo) so I trust he could do the same with Emerson. The 25-year-old was great as a rookie and has been productive before, so it's not insane to suggest that the scenery change will help him return to form.
After Hughes got hurt at the end of the season, the Falcons were relying on undrafted rookie Cobee Bryant and former draft bust C.J. Henderson to play meaningful snaps in the secondary. There is no excuse for that, and that is an area Ulbrich and Stefanski know they have to address this offseason.
More Falcons fans want to see ex-Browns like Wyatt Teller and David Njoku make their way to Atlanta, but Emerson was playing at a near All-Pro level in 2023, so giving him a redemption arc is something that could serve to benefit a defense that's on the rise.