Greg

Newsome

Only recently back from injury, Newsome didn’t make it very long before landing back on the shelf. He has been replaced by Christian Braswell.

Speaking with the media on Friday, Coen said there’s some crossover between what the Jaguars do defensively and what Newsome did with the Browns that should put Newsome in line to see some snaps. Whether or not he draws the start is to be determined, but it doesn’t sound like the Jaguars will waste too much time getting Newsome on the field in a meaningful capacity, especially after they traded starting corner Tyson Campbell to acquire him.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Browns and Jaguars will be swapping late-round picks in addition to the cornerbacks. Campbell signed a four-year, $76.5 million extension in the 2024 offseason with the Jaguars and is now under contract through 2028 for Cleveland. He has six interceptions and 42 passes defended through his five-year career, but has missed 11 games over the last two seasons. The Jaguars swap him out for Greg Newsome, who is in the last season of his rookie deal. Newsome held a top-45 PFF coverage grade each of his first three seasons and has three interceptions and 37 passes defended through four total seasons. The Jags have flexibility at corner with Travis Hunter mixing in for snaps; his usage won’t decrease with Newsome joining him on the outside. Meanwhile, the Browns opt for Campbell’s long-term deal over negotiating a Newsome extension.

Newsome popped up on Thursday’s injury report with a hamstring and will officially be questionable entering the week. It’s never a good sign when a player is a late addition to the injury report, and the Browns will need all hands on deck if they hope to slow the receiving duo of Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. If he’s unable to go, backup Myles Harden appears next in line to receive snaps. In addition to Newsome, RT Jack Conklin (elbow), who hasn’t played since Week 1, is also questionable.

We never love to see a mid-week downgrade and unfortunately that’s what happened with Newsome today. It’s possible this is a blip, but it also could be a mid-practice injury that sends him to the inactives for Week 5. We’ll check in on him again tomorrow. If Newsome were out, it would increase the appeal of Minnesota’s wideout room as Cleveland’s depth corners behind Denzel Ward and Newsome are not well-regarded.

Newsome was limited throughout most of training camp due to his shoulder injury, but the veteran corner says the shoulder “will not be a factor” as he prepares for Week 1’s game against the Bengals. Newsome was once thought to be a cap casualty by the Browns this offseason, but remains on the roster and is expected to play a key role as the team’s second corner opposite Denzel Ward. Newsome, 25, totaled 27 tackles and one interception in 13 games for the Browns last season.

The Athletic’s Zac Jackson previously speculated that Newsome could be traded, noting his $13.4 million cap hit as a reason for the team to move on. Cleveland can save the entirety of that figure by trading Newsome. The former first-round pick totaled five pass breakups across 13 games last year while playing a mix of slot and outside corner. Okoronkwo notched three sacks as a pass-rush specialist in 2024. Given the diminished roles both players hold in Cleveland, it wouldn’t take much for a team to acquire either defender.

Newsome II has a $13.3 million cap hit, but all of it goes away if the Browns can find a trade partner willing to take the former first-round pick on his fifth-year option. Newsome II was hampered by a hamstring injury last season and only played in 13 games before being placed on injured reserve in December. Given the Commanders’ need at the position and how flush with cap space they are, the pairing makes some sense. It’s likely that, given Cleveland’s cap problems, Newsome II will be available for any team wanting to make a bid on him.

He’s done for the season. Newsome finishes an uneven year where he was always hampered by this hamstring injury with a 54.0 PFF coverage grade. The Browns picked up his fifth-year option last offseason so he’ll enter the final year of his rookie contract in 2024 looking for a healthier rebound season.

With the Browns in a lost season, it would make sense to throw Newsome on injured reserve and end his season if this hamstring injury is at all serious. ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi said it was the same hammy that Newsome underwent surgery for in the summer. Those two data points together suggest that we could get an IR placement soon. Martin Emerson will have a bigger role in the defense if Newsome is sidelined.