The Cleveland Browns are counting on their defense to lead a turnaround in 2025 after a disastrous season that featured an offense that consistently put it in unwinnable positions.
Now that the defense is revamped, healthy, and has fans excited again, there is an excess in the secondary, which is why Greg Newsome II has been mentioned in trade rumors.
The cornerback recently addressed his future.
“Obviously, I would love to be here long term. I love the city of Cleveland. … At the end of the day, my focus right now is just to do whatever I can to help the team win,” Newsome said, via 92.3 The Fan.
“Obviously, I would love to be here long-term. I love the city of Cleveland. At the end of the day, my focus right now is just to do whatever I can to help the team win”
🚨#Browns CB @gnewsii on @CLETalkingHeads on his desire for an extension🏈
🔊Listen: https://t.co/UgJFum1WUD pic.twitter.com/11uXjLEmmF
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) July 25, 2025
Denzel Ward and Martin Emerson Jr. are the starting cornerbacks, while Newsome will likely get most of his snaps as the nickel.
Ward has a history of concussions, so the team likely needs Newsome as insurance, but if the Browns stumble out of the gate and decide giving the pending free agent a new contract isn’t in the cards, there’s a scenario that ends with him being traded.
Newsome had 27 combined tackles and one interception in 13 games last season, and after an offseason that involved no notable additions to the secondary, he is still projected to be a factor.
A trade before the season seems unrealistic, but Newsome could be an attractive deadline option for a lot of teams if the Browns fall out of playoff contention.
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Bernie Kosar Weighs In On Browns’ QB Dilemma