Coming off a 3-14 season, it should be easy for the Cleveland Browns to say goodbye to many of their players. The process began this offseason when they traded Dorian Thompson-Robinson to the Philadelphia Eagles and continued when Jameis Winston signed with the New York Giants.
While the quarterback situation has dominated the conversation, there are other areas that are of concern. One of them is on defense where the Browns may have to say goodbye to a former first-round pick, but it may not be as hard of a decision as it seems.
Browns Should Move On From Greg Newsome Ahead of 2025 Season
Greg Newsome came to Cleveland as the 26th overall selection in the 2021 draft. But while he’s become a steady player for the Browns, he may be heading toward the end of his time. Newsome posted a Pro Football Focus grade over 65 in each of his first three seasons and had a coverage grade in his first two seasons, missing the baseline with a 69.9 grade in 2023. That low water mark was strangely Newsome’s best season with 49 total tackles, four tackles for loss, 14 pass defenses and two interceptions with a return for a touchdown.
But things changed when the Browns exercised his fifth-year option. Newsome’s health concerns grew as he failed to play all 17 games in his first four seasons, and he struggled last season with 27 total tackles. Of course, Newsome’s primary job is to cover receivers and he couldn’t make an impact with just five pass defenses and one interception over 13 games.
The Browns could decide to bring Newsome back and serve his projected role as the starter at nickelback. But with a $13.3 million cap hit, it may be wise to allocate that cap hit elsewhere.
There are some logistics that could get in the way of a trade. Since Newsome is in the final year of his deal, he would probably want some long-term security, and a new contract could water down a prospective offer. But Cleveland could also use another pick or two to its 10 selections in the upcoming draft and use that stockpile to trade up or add another “win-now” piece through a different trade.
It could be unlikely considering where Cleveland stands ahead of the draft, but it shouldn’t be a difficult decision if they’re debating whether to part ways.