Browns Trade Would Send Young Star Cornerback to Packers

Getty Greg Newsome II excited

The Cleveland Browns lost again in Week 7, now sitting at 1-6 overall. Deshaun Watson went down with an Achilles injury and will undergo surgery soon to repair his ruptured Achilles. After also trading Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills and the Browns season essentially being over already unless something drastic changes, other moves could be coming.

One potential trade candidate is Greg Newsome II, a young cornerback who’s impressed during his time with the Browns.

Bleacher Report’s NFL Scouting Department believes he could be available, pitching a trade idea that would send him to the Green Bay Packers.

“As mentioned last week, Eric Stokes has been struggling so far this season. That could impact the Packers’ ability to make a playoff/Super Bowl run, so the front office should look into bringing in a second corner to play on the other side of Jaire Alexander,” BR’s NFL Scouting Department wrote on October 21. “Meanwhile, Newsome was ranked as the fifth player on B/R’s NFL Draft Big Board column this week.”

Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report put together that NFL trade block board, highlighting Newsome as a trade candidate, too.

“Cleveland may have to tear everything down and rebuild on the cheap, which is why cornerback Greg Newsome II is a viable trade candidate,” Knox wrote on October 16. “The 24-year-old is set to play on his fifth-year option in 2025, and the Browns could remove next year’s $13.4 million salary from the books by trading him now.

Newsome ‘More Likely’ to Be Traded Ahead of 2025 Season

The Cleveland Browns have players they could move to improve their draft assets for the future. The question would become who they should trade, as the Browns could want to keep a young player like Newsome.

However, Zac Jackson of The Athletic named him a trade candidate. He highlighted that a deal might be “more likely” ahead of the 2025 season than in the next few weeks.

“The Browns picked up Newsome’s fully guaranteed fifth-year option for 2025 at more than $13 million,” Jackson wrote on October 16. “That doesn’t necessarily mean Newsome will be on the team next season, but if a trade happens it’s more likely to be made ahead of the 2025 season than in the coming weeks.”

Packers Could Use Newsome’s Help

The Green Bay Packers are 5-2 and look to be in a good position to make the playoffs. Newsome could welcome a chance to play with the Packers due to the Cleveland Browns’ position in the standings, currently in last place in the AFC North.

The Packers’ secondary is elite, but they’re lacking a CB2, which Newsome would give them.

Ryan Heckman of FanSided named them a trade destination for Newsome, highlighting the amount of passing yards they’ve given up.

“One of the teams likely to be looking for a cornerback, above all other positions at the deadline, is the Green Bay Packers. Like Tampa Bay, they rank toward the bottom of the league against the pass, currently giving up 228.7 yards per game (good for eighth-worst).

“Also boasting one of the better offenses behind quarterback Jordan Love, the Packers look to contend in an NFC North that’s been very, very competitive to this point in the season,” Heckman wrote on October 18. “Newsome should be a player Green Bay is looking at in the coming days.”