According to Fox Sports NFL Insider Jordan Schultz, the Cleveland Browns have reportedly put former first-round pick, cornerback Greg Newsome II on the trade block ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Newsome is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and is coming off a rough 2024 season where he finished with a 52.2 PFF grade, ranking 177th of 222 cornerbacks. He suffered a hamstring injury in Week 14 that caused him to miss the remainder of the season.
Before last year however, Newsome’s career was off to a very promising start. In each of the first three seasons of his career, Newsome ranked in the top 55 out of over 200 players ranked at the position.
The 6’0’’, 192 pound cornerback ran a 4.38 40-yard dash at his pro day back in 2021, possessing the prototypical size and speed of a Buccaneers cornerback.
At just 24 years old, Newsome still has plenty of time to turn his career around — and Tampa Bay could be the perfect place for a fresh start.
Greg Newsome could be the sweetener in a draft-day trade for Tampa Bay
The Browns have frequently been listed as a team who could have interest in trading back into the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, depending on how the board falls. The Browns desperately need a quarterback, but the team appears locked in on cornerback and wide receiver Travis Hunter out of Colorado with their No. 2 overall pick.
If Colorado's Shedeur Sanders begins to fall down the board, the Browns could be eager to trade up ahead of their division rival Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21 in order to land reunite Sanders with Hunter and prevent Pittsburgh from landing the quarterback they seemingly covet.
This would leave the Buccaneers, who are notably positioned two slots ahead of the Steelers, in a prime position to capitalize on a potential trade.
Players including Alabama's Jalen Milroe or Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart are other quarterbacks that the Browns could potentially trade back up for in the bottom half of the first round.
What Would a Bucs-Browns Trade Package Look Like?
Moving from No. 19 all the way back into the second round would require significant compensation for Tampa Bay to justify passing on a top-tier prospect. Cleveland's willingness to include a talented young cornerback with first-round pedigree could certainly help soften the blow.
According to DraftTek's NFL Trade Value Chart, the Bucs’ No. 19 pick is worth 875 points, while the Browns’ pick at No. 33 is worth 580 — a gap of 295 points. Even if Cleveland adds their third-rounder (No. 94, worth 124 points) and a sixth-rounder (No. 200, worth 11 points), they’d still be 160 points short.
That’s where Greg Newsome comes in to complete the package — a player who could make up the difference in value and make the deal work for both sides. 160 points is equivalent to the No. 86 pick in the third round, which is similar to the value Tampa Bay got last offseason when they traded Carlton Davis to the Detroit Lions for the No. 92 overall pick.
Greg Newsome is an intriguing trade option to explore for the #Bucs
— Josh Crysler (@josh_crysler) April 24, 2025
Here is a fun scenario where the Browns include him as part of a trade package to move up to No. 19 ahead of the Steelers for a QB. https://t.co/XtKIOLkmzj pic.twitter.com/BOAoeDn4I5
Trading down with the Cleveland Browns could prove to be a win-win for both sides on draft day. The Buccaneers would land a starting-caliber, scheme-fit cornerback in Greg Newsome and add valuable draft capital in a deep class. Meanwhile, the Browns get a shot at their quarterback of the future — and the chance to jump ahead of division rival Pittsburgh to do it.
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