Reg Newsome is no stranger to trade rumours, and the Cleveland Browns cornerback could face a few more this offseason.
Newsome is entering his fourth season with the Browns. Over three seasons, the former first-round pick has started 39 games and had two interceptions.
This offseason, the Browns will decide whether to pick up Newsome’s fifth-year option, which is worth just under $13 million. Another possibility would be to trade Newsome. So, will the Browns attempt to trade Newsome this offseason? The Athletic’s Zac Jackson says, “Probably not.”
However, Jackson did highlight the reasons why Newsome should be considered a trade option.
“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.”
The Browns have a deep cornerback position.
The Browns have a lot of excellent players, including Newsome. However, it will be difficult to keep everyone. Emerson remains a better value than Newsome and has proven more valuable on the field. Denzel Ward, Cleveland’s top cornerback, has four years remaining on his $100 million agreement inked in 2022.
Ward is the second-highest-paid player on the Browns defence. He trails only Myles Garrett, who earns $25 million a season. Ward has struggled to stay on the field. He appeared in only 13 games last season.
Cameron Mitchell, the Browns’ 2023 fifth-round pick, is also in the mix. Mitchell played limited minutes and missed some time due to a hamstring issue.
Browns cornerback Greg Newsome Previous complaints over Newsome’s role have led to trade rumours.
He revealed his dissatisfaction with playing inside as the regular slot cornerback under former defensive coordinator Joe Woods. However, Newsome came away from last season feeling satisfied with his contributions. He also had high respect for Jim Schwartz, the defensive coordinator.
“We played a lot more, man. So that is my comfort zone. I believe coach Schwartz did an incredible job of putting me in places to succeed and getting around the football a lot more this season,” Newsome remarked on January 14, after the season ended. “Opportunities to play outside, inside, and blitz to get in running shape. So, I believe Coach Schwartz is an excellent coach. I think he’s the best defensive coordinator to just cater to the guy’s abilities, and I think he did an excellent job with me this season.”
Newsome set career highs for tackles (49), tackles for loss (4), pass breakups (14) and interceptions (2). But that doesn’t mean everything went smoothly for Newsome. He had some difficult games, including one against the Houston Texans in the playoffs. Newsome finished with a dismal PFF grade of 29.4.
“You always have to learn from things like this,” Newsome explained. “We’re obviously going to come into next season with a chip on our shoulder, and I believe we did a terrific job this season, but we didn’t show up in the biggest game. So I believe we will learn from this experience, and it will only benefit us in the future.
Newsome aspires to spend his future in Cleveland. He has voiced his wish to stay with the Browns.
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