With the Browns feeling the cap pressure, could Greg Newsome II find his way out by the trade deadline? Last year, Albert Breer reported that Cleveland “had some discussions” about trading him, so it’s not out of the question. Recently, The Athletic beat writer Zac Jackson posited that Newsome is their most likely trade candidate.
“Cornerback Greg Newsome II is under contract only through 2025 and could be traded sometime between August and early November with no dead cap hit”, he wrote. “The Browns already moved on from 30-year-old defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo, a transaction that could be the start of more money-saving moves involving older players”.
As I’ve previously written, the Browns have some cap issues on the horizon. They already have nearly $100 million on the books for 2026 stemming from contracts set to void. That is one of the main reasons they released Okoronkwo, as he was one of those players. Newsome isn’t one of them, but he does take up cap space.
The Browns drafted Newsome in the first round in 2021. He has a $13,377,000 cap hit this year on his fifth-year option, which is fully guaranteed. If they can find someone to take on his contract, they can clear that from their books. If unused, they could also push that cap space into the 2026 season. You may best remember him for calling George Pickens a fake tough guy.
While they have Denzel Ward and Martin Emerson Jr., the Browns are not leaking cornerback talent. Newsome did lose playing time last year, spending time as the third cornerback, I should note. They used him both outside and the slot, so he has some flexibility.
Over his career, Newsome has 42 starts in 54 games. He has 155 career tackles, including four for loss, with one sack, three interceptions, and 34 passes defensed. While he recorded 14 passes defensed in 2023, he managed only five last season.
Outside of Ward, Emerson, and Newsome, the Browns’ cornerback room is less than stellar. Cameron Mitchell saw time on defense last year. They also have Tony Brown, Chigozie Anusiem, Myles Harden, LaMareon James, Dom Jones, and Anthony Kendall.
If the Browns trade Newsome, my guess is it would primarily be for a salary dump. If so, they may be willing to take on less in trade compensation to avoid paying some of his salary. But if they can’t move him before the start of the season, they will have no choice but to pay him on a weekly basis.
Of course, there’s no assurance the Browns are even looking to trade Newsome this offseason. There is some logic behind it, especially if you’re looking beyond the 2025 season, but it doesn’t make the team any better this year.
Plus, Newsome promised to pick off Aaron Rodgers with the Browns, both home and away. He can’t do that if they trade him.
