Cleveland Browns: Greg Newsome looks to build on strong rookie year

After being selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft Cleveland Browns corner Greg Newsome had a strong rookie year and is looking for more in 2022.

For a lot of people seeing Northwestern cornerback Greg Newsome fall to pick No. 26 in last year’s draft was a surprise, but a good one for Cleveland. The modern NFL is a passing league, especially in the AFC, and the Cleveland Browns and any other contender need as many good ones as they can get.

The Browns have now locked up Denzel Ward but if Greg Newsome can make a jump in year two this defense could be really good.

Let’s look back at some of the statistics and takeaways that made Newsome’s rookie year so good and promising for the future. In 2021 with the Browns Newsome allowed just an 85.6 passer rating and only one touchdown all season according to pro football reference. He had a total of 9 passes defended and at times was incredibly sticky in coverage.

When you watch his tape the most impressive part of his game is the fluidity in his hips and his ability to mirror a wide receiver. He can switch almost seamlessly from back-peddling, flip his hips and turn into a full-on sprint to stick with the wide receiver. It isn’t often that he falls for pump fakes or a receiver trying to throw him off with a double move.

Newsome isn’t a perfect player, he had seven missed tackles last season which gave him a 15.9% missed tackle rate. That’s something he has got to get cleaned up, he missed a couple of games last season with an injury that held him back a little bit as well.

But you have to love the player Greg Newsome is and if you, like me, believe that he can be even better next year, then you should be excited

If he continues to be sticky in coverage, not back down from a receiver no matter who it is, and cleans up his tackling the Browns will have one of the best duos in the NFL.