Greg Newsome is no stranger to trade rumors and the Cleveland Browns cornerback could find himself in a few more this offseason.
2
Newsome is heading into his fourth season with the Browns. The former first-round pick has started 39 games over three seasons and has two interceptions to his name.
The Browns will face a decision this offseason on picking up Newsome’s fifth-year option, which will be worth just under $13 million. Another other option would be trading Newsome. So will the Browns be looking to deal Newsome this offseason? According to The Athletic’s Zac Jackson, “Probably not.”
However, Jackson did point out the reasons why Newsome could be seen as a potential trade candidate.
“Newsome is a good player at a premium position, and he was a first-round pick of this Berry-led regime,” Jackson wrote on February 19. “But with Martin Emerson Jr. a year away from being eligible for an extension and Denzel Ward already paid at the top of the cornerback market, it’s fair to at least wonder how long the Browns can keep what’s probably the league’s best cornerback trio.”
Browns Are Deep at Cornerback Position
The Browns have a lot of solid players, Newsome being one of them. However, it will be tough to keep everyone. Emerson is still a better value than Newsome and has also been more valuable on the field. Denzel Ward, Cleveland’s top cornerback, has four years left on the $100 million extension he signed in 2022.
Ward is the second-highest-paid player on the Browns’ defense. He’s behind only Myles Garrett, who hauls in $25 million per season. The problem for Ward has been staying on the field. He appeared in just 13 games last season.
The Browns also have 2023 fifth-round pick Cameron Mitchell in the mix. Mitchell saw limited time on the field and missed some time with a hamstring injury.
Browns CB Greg Newsome Previously Complained About Role
Trade rumors have swirled around Newsome previously. He expressed his frustration with playing inside as the primary slot cornerback under former defensive coordinator Joe Woods. However, Newsome walked away from last season feeling good about his contributions. He also had some high praise for defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.
“We played a lot more man. So that’s my comfort zone. I think coach Schwartz did an unbelievable job in just putting me in positions to succeed, just getting around the football a lot more this season,” Newsome said on January 14 after the season wrapped up. “Opportunities to play outside, opportunities to play inside, opportunities to blitz to get in the run fit. So, I think Coach Schwartz is an unbelievable coach. I think he’s the best defensive coordinator to just cater to the guy’s talents, and I feel like he did a great job with me this season.”
Newsome notched career-highs in tackles (49), tackles for loss (4), pass breakups (14) and interceptions (2). But that’s not to say everything was smooth for Newsome. He had some rough outings, including against the Houston Texans in the postseason. Newsome finished with a miserable PFF grade of 29.4.
“You always have to learn from things like this,” Newsome said. “We’re definitely going to come into next season with another chip on our shoulder, and I think we did a good job this season, but we didn’t show up in the biggest game. So I think we’re going to learn from this moment and it’s only going to help us in the future.”
Newsome hopes that his future will be in Cleveland. He’s expressed a desire to stay with the Browns.
