The Cleveland Browns were dealt a massive blow this week.
Losing Martin Emerson Jr. for the season leaves them quite thin at cornerback, and Greg Newsome II will most likely have to play on the outside full-time, just like he did in the earlier days of his career.
Nevertheless, there were already some questions about Newsome’s future with the organization.
And even after Emerson’s injury, Seth Walder of ESPN believes he’s a prime trade candidate.
In his latest column, he put together a less-than-appealing trade package to send him to the Las Vegas Raiders:
Raiders receive: CB Greg Newsome II, 2027 seventh-round pick
Browns receive: 2026 seventh-round pick“Newsome is due a fully guaranteed $13.4 million in 2025 on his fifth-year option, and I’d argue it’s an open question whether that makes him a positive or negative asset — hence the near-zero compensation listed here,” Walder wrote.
The Browns have walked themselves into a corner with the salary cap.
Their decision to sign Deshaun Watson to the largest fully guaranteed contract in NFL history hurt their chances of fielding a competitive team around him for years to come.
Unfortunately, that makes Newsome yet another potential casualty of that ripple effect.
Then again, from a football perspective, it just doesn’t make any sense to move on from one of the team’s best players.
More than that, even though he’s slated to make big bucks and the Browns might be pressed to move on from him, it’s hard to believe that’s the best offer they could get for his services.
Andrew Berry has usually done well in trades, and giving up Newsome plus a draft pick and getting just one draft pick in return sounds like a disservice.
This will be a situation to keep a close eye on, and if he ends up leaving, hopefully, the Browns will at least get something better out of the deal.
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Browns Urged To Make Big Move For Pro Bowl WR
