The Cleveland Browns made a mistake in taking Greg Newsome in the 2021 NFL Draft

The Cleveland Browns picked the wrong Greg in the 2021 NFL Draft, going with cornerback Greg Newsome over defensive end Gregory Rousseau

The Cleveland Browns really believed they needed cornerback help in 2021 over defensive end help. The Browns had Denzel Ward, Greedy Williams, Tavierre Thomas, and M.J. Stewart while going on to sign Troy Hill. The Browns opted to take Greg Newsome with the 26th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and since Newsome arrived in Cleveland, he’s been perfectly fine. A solid starter.

But the team didn’t “need” another corner.

His addition to the team was seen as a necessity because Thomas and fellow corner Kevin Johnson had lackluster seasons. Thomas would go to Houston and have two great seasons while Johnson would end up retiring.

Before leaving the team, Stewart would move to safety in 2021 and play very well, before following Thomas to Houston and playing well in limited action as both a safety and corner.

Why did the team decide to draft Newsome with this talent on board? Because the team signed Jadeveon Clowney, a player more known for his name than his game. Prior to his signing, the talk around the Browns was about getting a second pass rusher on the defensive line opposite Myles Garrett. The two names that were most talked about were Jaelan Phillips and Gregory Rousseau. Both men were seen as the best options as ends and were projected to go around the time the Browns had their pick in 2021.

Phillips would end up going to Miami at the 18th pick, but when the 26th rolled around, Rousseau was still on the board. The Browns did not make the smart move.

The Cleveland Browns missed out on Gregory Rousseau

While many fans, especially in the comment section at the time, went on to say guys like Phillips and Rousseau were “stiff” and “busts” before they ever played an NFL down before, I saw both men as needed assets. I preferred Phillips over Rousseau, but I wanted Rousseau over Newsome.

Now, Newsome has been fine, but he’ll never be an All-Pro at this rate. He could, one day, maybe, but Rousseau is streaking towards one sooner rather than later. He’s a key cog in the Buffalo Bills’ defense currently and has outplayed Clowney since entering the league.

If the Browns had a guy like Rousseau and re-signed Thomas in 2021, the Browns would have been in a better place heading into the 2023 season.

Why is that the case? Well, the Browns are still looking for cornerback help. Denzel Ward has been inconsistent and banged up his whole career and Greedy Williams looks to be leaving in free agency. So it’s not like the arrival of Newsome stabilized the position. Newsome is not a bad addition, but Thomas has played as well as Newsome, if not better, over the last two years.

Keeping Thomas, not signing Clowney, and drafting Rousseau were what the team should’ve done.

Look at Thomas and Newsome’s stats and PFF grades. It shows you how painfully average Newsome really is. Maybe that’s on Joe Woods, but we don’t know that. That is, at best, speculation and hyperbole. It’s entirely possible the new defensive coordinator gets more out of Newsome, but we won’t know that until we know that.

What isn’t up for debate is that Rousseau has become one of the best ends in the league. He’s everything people thought he’d be. He’s great at getting after the quarterback, a staunch run defender, and someone who can bat down balls at the same rate as some defensive backs.

This year alone, Newsome had six batted balls, and Rousseau had four. Rousseau is a versatile player and would’ve been huge for the Browns to have the last two seasons.

The Browns will once again need a new corner, and a new defensive end in the draft this year, and it feels like had the Browns just taken Rousseau, and kept the previously mentioned corners, then maybe the Browns wouldn’t need to once again try to fill these voids.