Browns Former First-Round Pick Pressures Team With Bold Ultimatum

Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome is entering a pivotal contract year and has made it clear that changes need to happen if he’s going to stick around long term.

Newsome is playing on his fifth-year option, worth more than $13 million. The Browns selected him with the No. 26 overall pick in the 2021 draft, hoping he would grow into a top-tier outside corner alongside Pro Bowler Denzel Ward. But that hasn’t been the case.

Instead, 2022 third-round pick Martin Emerson Jr. has emerged as the team’s primary corner opposite Ward, starting 27 games over the past two seasons. That’s left Newsome primarily in the nickel role, limiting his snaps and impact.

If Cleveland wants to keep Newsome in the fold beyond this season, he’ll need a bigger role, per Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.

“When I talked to Greg Newsome at the Super Bowl on Radio Row back in January or early February, he talked about the fact that he wants to be used more. He was primarily the nickel back last year. He wants to be on the field more often,” Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com said. “[He] actually point blank said, you know, I need to know some things before I want to sign a long-term contract here.”

Martin Emerson Needs Bounce Back Year With Browns

Emerson doesn’t have a firm grip on his spot in the starting lineup. He’s coming off a difficult season in which he earned a 47.9 overall grade on Pro Football Focus — ranking 194th out of 222 qualifying cornerbacks. Emerson allowed 52 receptions and surrendered a passer rating of 108.7 when targeted.

The Browns are still evaluating who gives them the best option on the outside, with competition likely to heat up in training camp and the preseason.

“So [Emerson] is tied to the whole Greg Newsome thing because you’ve got Greg who wants that smoke. He wants to be out there more on an island or wherever and he wants to those reps, he wants to play outside,” Cabot said. “And then you’ve got Martin who is needing a rebound year.”

Greg Newsome Subject of Browns Trade Rumors

Newsome has been the subject of trade rumors for several seasons, and the speculation is ramping up as he enters the final year of his rookie contract.

For the Browns, the clock is ticking. Holding onto Newsome without a long-term plan carries the risk of losing him for nothing in free agency next offseason — a costly outcome for a former first-round pick. That risk becomes even more pressing if Mary Kay Cabot’s reporting on Newsome’s mindset holds true.

Outside the building, expectations for the Browns are low. Cleveland enters the season with a projected win total of just 5.5, tied for the lowest in the league. If the team plans to outperform that outlook, the defense will have to shoulder much of the load.

Fortunately for Cleveland, that unit still features elite talent. Ward remains one of the league’s top cover corners (when healthy), and Myles Garrett — a six-time All-Pro and former Defensive Player of the Year — continues to anchor the pass rush. Both will be critical if the Browns are going to stay competitive in what could be a transition year.