Could the Browns be without Greg Newsome for 'significant time' due to injury?

Cleveland Browns starting cornerback Greg Newsome II reportedly suffered a groin injury ahead of the preseason opener against the New York Jets. He didn't suit up for the game which wasn't too noticeable since nearly every starter was in street clothes on the sideline.

However, as the team prepares for their next preseason game, head coach Kevin Stefanski said Newsome is still rehabbing. The coach didn't go into great detail, simply calling it a groin injury.

Despite this, there's been some speculation that Newsome could "miss significant time" as stated by J.R. De Groote of Heavy.com.

Without word from the team, this feels as though it's speculation — even with De Groote pointing to an addition to the cornerback room.

Having said that, it's difficult to blame anyone for holding their breath whenever a member of Cleveland's secondary suffers any type of injury.

Since 2018, the Browns have had several defensive backs suffer through various injuries. Denzel Ward has had soft tissue concerns and Greedy Williams — who is now with the Eagles — missed significant time throughout his four seasons. There was also the season-ending Achilles rupture suffered by safety Grant Delpit which cost him his entire rookie campaign in 2020.

The Browns have even seen Newsome struggle with health at times. After missing 40 percent of his games at Northwestern, the first-round pick was absent in five games in 2021 and another two in 2022.

Hopefully, Newsome can return to health before Week 1. Cleveland does have a deep secondary thanks in large part to the presence of Ward and Martin Emerson but will need all hands on deck against the Cincinnati Bengals passing attack in the season opener.