The Minnesota Vikings are well-positioned to make a move before the NFL trade deadline, and strengthening their secondary is a sensible focus. On October 30, Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame and Gilberto Manzano proposed a trade in which the Vikings would send a fifth-round pick to the Cleveland Browns in return for former first-round cornerback Greg Newsome II.
“The Vikings’ stout defense was a big reason why the team jumped out to a 5–0 start before losing the past two games. But Brian Flores’s defense is allowing 263.3 passing yards per game, one of the downsides of being a blitz-heavy team,” the two SI reporters wrote. “Perhaps the Browns are ready to break up their talented secondary amid a losing season and salary cap issues. Newsome, a 2021 first-round pick, can play on the inside and outside. He would help improve Minnesota’s pass defense, which would allow Flores to continue being an aggressive play-caller.”
Browns in Position to Trade Greg Newsome II Over Coming Days
The Browns are currently 2-6 and are coming off an emotional win against their AFC North rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, one of the top teams in the league. This victory followed a quarterback switch from the injured Deshaun Watson to backup Jameis Winston, which might suggest that Cleveland should retain one of its best defensive players, Greg Newsome II. However, several factors could still make him a trade candidate in the coming days.
Newsome is in the fourth year of his rookie contract, and the Browns have already exercised his fifth-year option, which will pay him $13.4 million in 2025. To keep him beyond free agency, which he will enter in March 2026, Cleveland will either need to sign him to a long-term deal or consider using the franchise tag about a year from now.
This could be a sensible approach, especially since star cornerback Denzel Ward has just suffered another concussion. However, if Ward continues to play alongside fellow defensive back Martin Emerson Jr., which he insists he will, then Newsome may become a luxury that the Browns cannot afford in 2025 and beyond.
Greg Newsome Could Add Quality to Vikings Secondary
This season, Newsome has mainly played in the slot but also has a strong track record of matching up against top-quality wide receivers on the outside. Last year, he recorded 14 pass breakups and 2 interceptions, and he could thrive as a third cornerback on a Vikings defense that generates significant pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
While a fifth-round pick may not seem like a substantial asset, it becomes more valuable when considering the financial commitment Minnesota would need to make to retain Newsome after acquiring him, effectively treating the trade as a one-and-a-half-season rental that won’t come cheap.
However, the Vikings have a solid opportunity to contend both now and in 2024. Despite Newsome allowing a career-high 116.1 passer rating this season on 41 targets (with 25 completions), he still represents an upgrade to their secondary.
Leave a Reply