The Minnesota Vikings are in a good position to buy ahead of the NFL trade deadline, and the secondary is one of the most obvious places to look.
On Wednesday, October 30, Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame and Gilberto Manzano proposed a trade in which the Vikings send a fifth-round pick to the Cleveland Browns in return for former first-round cornerback Greg Newsome II.
“The Vikings’ strong defence was a significant reason why the club got out to a 5-0 start before dropping the last two games. However, Brian Flores’ defence allows 263.3 passing yards per game, which is one of the drawbacks of having a blitz-heavy club,” the two SI reporters noted. “With a losing season and salary limit difficulties, the Browns may be ready to break up their brilliant secondary. Newsome, a 2021 first-round pick, can play both inside and outside. He would assist boost Minnesota’s pass defence, allowing Flores to continue calling aggressive plays.
The Browns are poised to trade Greg Newsome II in the coming days.
The Browns are 2-6 and coming off an emotional victory over their AFC North Division rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, who are probably one of the greatest teams in the league
That victory came after Cleveland switched quarterbacks from the injured Deshaun Watson to backup Jameis Winston, which may argue against selling one of the team’s greatest defensive players. However, other variables will most likely keep Newsome in play as a potential trade chip in the coming days.
Specifically, the cornerback is in the fourth year of his rookie contract, and Cleveland has already activated the fifth-year option, which pays Newsome $13.4 million in 2025. To keep him past free agency, which Newsome will reach in March 2026, Cleveland will need to either extend him on a long-term contract or use the valuable franchise tag a little more than a year from now to keep him under contract.
That could make sense given that standout cornerback Denzel Ward recently sustained another concussion. However, if Ward continues to play alongside fellow defensive back Martin Emerson Jr., as he has promised, Newsome may be a luxury that the Browns cannot afford in 2025 and beyond.
Greg Newsome Could Bring Quality to Vikings’ Secondary
This season, Newsome has largely played in the slot, but he has a great track record of facing top-tier wide receivers on the outside.Last season, the cornerback had 14 pass breakups and 2 interceptions and may succeed as a third CB behind a Vikings defensive front that puts a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
A fifth-round pick is a more valuable asset than it may appear, especially given that Minnesota would have to invest a significant amount of money over several years to keep Newsome in-house following a trade that essentially equates to a one and a half season rental — and not an inexpensive one at that.
However, the Vikings have a legitimate opportunity to win now and in 2024, and Newsome is likely to upgrade the secondary despite allowing a career-worst 116.1 QB rating across 41 targets (25 receptions) this season.
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