There was a time between 2021 and 2023 when the Cleveland Browns appeared to have found something truly elusive: a lockdown cornerback duo. Denzel Ward had already cemented his standing among the league's best by that time, while in 2021, first-round pick Greg Newsome II was just a pup getting his feet wet in the league.
The former Northwestern Wildcat proved primed for the big stage, as he allowed paltry passer ratings of 87.0, 85.8, and 74.8 in his coverage area through his first three years. After he didn't get a well-earned and coveted extension following the 2023 season, there was some trade chatter that ultimately amounted to nothing.
Unfortunately, in the seesaw of contract negotiations, Newsome lost all of his leverage after a troubling 2024 campaign that saw him allow a 112.5 passer rating. He was off to a promising start last season, with a beyond-respectable 87.4 passer rating allowed before the Browns made the curious decision of swapping him and a sixth-round pick with the Jacksonville Jaguars for Tyson Campbell and a seventh-rounder. The move aged like fine wine.
Greg Newsome II has been tabbed as the New York Giants player most likely to bust in 2026
Newsome struggled in a more prominent role in Jacksonville, allowing a 100.7 passer rating in his coverage area. That likely played a big role in the Jaguars opting to move on without him. He nonetheless found a new home with the New York Giants on a one-year, $8 million contract.
Bleacher Report's Moe Moton embarked on the instigative journey of trying to predict each team's biggest bust in 2026. Most articles aim to leave one fanbase angry, tops — Moton went for broke and tried to ruffle feathers all across the map. I guess some folks just wake up choosing violence. In explaining his Newsome logic, he wrote:
"The New York Giants signed Greg Newsome II to a one-year, $8 million deal. Big Blue should've used that cap space on another free-agent cornerback or a position of need ... After three years of solid coverage with the Cleveland Browns, Newsome has struggled as a pass defender. Over the last two seasons, he's allowed nine touchdowns and passer ratings above 100."
"It's worth noting that Cleveland traded Newsome to the Jacksonville Jaguars last October. He gave up five touchdowns and allowed a 107.5 passer rating in 12 outings with the Jaguars. If he doesn't break out of a coverage funk, the Giants will have their newly signed $8 million cornerback on the sideline for most of the season."
All of this further reinforces Andrew Berry's decision to trade for Tyson Campbell in the first place. While Jacksonville seems well set at the position with another player of Cleveland lore, Travis Hunter, as well as teammates Montaric Brown and Jourdan Lewis, the Browns made out just fine with their guy, too.
In 12 games with the Browns, Campbell allowed an 84.8 passer rating in his coverage area as he solidified the spot opposite Denzel Ward. What's more, the Browns have Campbell at a respectable price point of slightly more than $15.5 million a year after the contract they inherited from Jacksonville paid out his $15 million signing bonus. Cleveland also benefits from the structure that carries no guaranteed money beyond this season.
Should the Browns feel the need to move on next season, they can do so with a post-June 1 cut and recoup a little more than $11 million in cap space. So long as Campbell maintains his level of play, that's not even a conversation worth broaching. He seems to have taken very well to his new surroundings, and the former Georgia Bulldog has also become something of a voice for the locker room.
It's already safe to call this one a win for Andrew Berry. If those roster-building victories keep stacking up, it'll only be a matter of time before they start translating on the field. For Browns fans, it can't come fast enough.
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