Key Cleveland Browns Defender Projected to Land With Minnesota Vikings

The Cleveland Browns boasted the NFL's top-ranked defense in 2023, and while superstar defensive end Myles Garrett was at the forefront, it was also thanks much in part to a terrific secondary.

Part of that defensive backfield was cornerback Greg Newsome II, who appeared to be breaking out. Last season, however, Newsome took a considerable step back, placing his future with the Browns in serious question.

The 25-year-old has regularly been mentioned in trade speculation, and with just one year remaining on his contract, Newsome could be playing out his final days in Cleveland.

Taking that into consideration, Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine does seem to think that Newsome will be on the move next offseason, and he is predicting Newsome to land with the Minnesota Vikings.

"There's not a lot of reason the Vikings wouldn't be on the market for a corner again if [Jeff] Okudah doesn't pan out," Ballentine wrote. "If that's the case, then Greg Newsome II would be a logical target. He's used to playing coverage in an aggressive scheme in Cleveland and he has inside-out versatility."

Is Greg Newsome II as good as gone in Cleveland?

Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II (0) celebrates during the second half against the Baltimore Ravens. / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Browns originally selected Newsome in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and right off the bat, he displayed impressive potential, registering a 70.1 coverage grade at Pro Football Focus during his rookie campaign.

Newsome put together a couple of strong years to begin his professional career, although he wasn't much of a playmaker, failing to record an interception in either of his first two seasons.

Then, in 2023, the Northwestern product posted 49 tackles, a couple of interceptions and 14 passes defended in what was, by far, the best season of his NFL tenure. It remains that way to date.

Again, last year, Newsome regressed considerably, finishing with 27 tackles, a pick and five passes defended while managing a meager 52.2 overall grade at Pro Football Focus.

Not surprisingly, many expected Cleveland to seriously entertain trade offers for Newsome over the last several months. The Browns opted to hold onto him, though, which was probably a good decision given that fellow cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. tore his Achilles in training camp.

There remains a possibility that Newsome could be moved at some point before the trade deadline, but if not, he will definitely be an interesting free agent next March. Whether or not Cleveland would actually want to re-sign him remains to be seen.