The Opening Drive 10/9: More Musings on the Browns Trading Greg Newsome
The trade is simple on the surface but complex beyond 2025.
In the late hours of a random Week 6 Wednesday night, the Browns struck a deal with the Jaguars to essentially swap 2021 NFL Draft picks. Greg Newsome II was the 26th selection in that draft and Tyson Campbell the 33rd, and now both end up tied even closer than their draft positions once did. Anytime two players at the same position enter the league with similar draft slots, there will always be analysis of “who got it right,” but that conversation deepens now with this trade.
We know the Browns have been trying to sort out the “best fit” for Newsome for years. Following a promising rookie season that ended early due to injury, Newsome moved inside to the slot after the emergence of rookie Martin Emerson Jr. While the fit was not ideal for Newsome — and he voiced doubts about playing inside full time — he took on the role. That continued with Jim Schwartz’s arrival, despite Newsome’s brief trade-request saga, until this year when he was able to return to outside duty following Emerson’s Achilles tear.
The inside fit for Newsome was never ideal. Sure, he gave them a third competent man-coverage corner who could play inside, but the dirty work of the job — taking on blockers and fitting the run — never meshed well with his play style. He’s always been better suited as an outside cornerback, and this year finally gave him that chance again.
Newsome has been playing at a quality level in 2025, and this trade doesn’t feel like one built on the notion that he failed. What it is built on is locking down the future of that position opposite Denzel Ward. The Browns likely had a feel for what kind of contract Newsome would be seeking — and perhaps even discussed a framework. They know the intentions of Newsome and his camp after this season, so this deal is about securing a player at an upcoming position of need.
The biggest appeal, which we’ll discuss, is that the rate for cornerbacks keeps climbing. Since the Jaguars already paid most of Campbell’s guarantees, the Browns acquire a cornerback well below market value and with contractual flexibility beyond 2026. This was a hole they would need to address eventually during what is shaping up to be a busy offseason — one focused on solving questions at quarterback, offensive tackle, wide receiver, and more.
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We know the Browns are constantly looking at financial security for premium positions given the failure of the Deshaun Watson deal and what is looming there. Every penny counts and while not the only factor in the decision, it did play a big part. OverTheCap has been updating the circumstances of Campbell’s extension and what the Browns will be responsible for upon the finalization of things.
The Browns will carry $3.7M in dead cap this season for sending Newsome to Jacksonville, but it stops after the one year. The Jaguars will carry $6.7M in dead cap for moving Campbell this season and another $19.52M of dead cap on the 2026 salary cap. Keep in mind the Browns will now get to roll over the roughly $8M saved from this season’s cap with Newsome gone to their “rollover” allotment in the future. Here’s the general breakdown of what the Browns are on the hook for with Campbell.
2025: $1.406 million
2026: $4.916 million
2027: $4.8 million (option)
2028: $18.8 million (option)
2029: $4.6 million (in a void year)
Cleveland will not carry a dead cap hit if they release Campbell after the 2026 season and that is the key. There is some intrigue about the $11.5M Option Bonus due to Campbell in March of next year but we will let that play out and update when more information comes out.
I will go into deeper detail on Campbell in Film Room form in the next 24 hours but the financial details matter for now and I wanted to get those over to you. We will see if Campbell suits up this weekend in Pittsburgh.
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