Grading the Browns and Jaguars’ NFL Trade: Cleveland acquired what looks like a big contract by shipping away Greg Newsome II
The Browns had a busy Wednesday night with a big trade.
The Cleveland Browns have made three trades in the past two weeks. Last week, they sent a late pick to the Houston Texans to bring in OT Cam Robinson. Before Robinson could even make a start for the Browns, Cleveland shipped veteran QB Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals. The Browns surprised everyone with a move on Wednesday by trading a starter on defense.
Former first-round pick CB Greg Newsome II was in the final year of his rookie contract with the Browns, and back in the offseason, it felt like he could be traded.
When Martin Emerson Jr. went down with an Achilles injury during training camp, it felt like that was the nail in the coffin for the Browns to trade Newsome because they needed him to start outside with Emerson out. That’s not the case, and it makes a ton of sense why.
Grading the Greg Newsome trade between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns
The Browns sent Newsome and a sixth-round pick (via Jets) to the Jaguars for CB Tyson Campbell and a seventh-round pick (via Eagles) late Wednesday night. This trade marked the second trade the two teams have made since April, when they traded the No. 2 and No. 5 draft picks. Cleveland trading Newsome didn’t make much sense following Emerson’s injury, but they acquired a starting-caliber cornerback back in the trade.
Newsome was in the final season of his fifth-year deal, and the Browns saved $8.2 million in cap space this season with the move that they’ll roll to next season. The former first-round pick obviously wasn’t in the future plans, and the Browns landed a similarly talented player in the trade, plus it made a ton of sense financially.
Campbell is on a four-year contract worth $76.5 million. With bonuses, $28.3 million has already been paid, according to Over the Cap. With the signing bonus paid, the Browns will pay Campbell just $1.5 million in 2025. The Browns have a long-term plan across from Denzel Ward if this move works out.
With Campbell being a similarly talented player to Newsome, even if they play differently, the Browns avoided paying the signing bonus they would have had to extend Newsome past this season. Campbell is owed $1.6 million by the Browns in 2026 and has an $11.5 million option bonus.
This move gives Cleveland a plan for 2026, and if it isn’t working, it can move on following the year. Campbell is a better fit for more man coverage and was no longer a great fit for the Jaguars’ zone scheme.
Campbell is a good tackler and run stopper on the outside at 6-foot-1, and 195 pounds, with 24 solo tackles this season and just two missed tackles, per Pro Football Focus. He is a former first-round pick who has been heavily targeted this season, allowing 19 receptions.
The former Georgia star’s best season was 2022, when he recorded three interceptions and played in all 17 games. Injuries have been a struggle at times with Campbell, and that’ll be nothing new to this Browns’ cornerback room. Jacksonville trading Campbell makes sense because the current front office didn’t extend him, and he wasn’t a great fit for their defense any longer.
Cleveland is clearly looking forward this year, and it filled a looming roster hole while saving money. Campbell is a cost-controlled starter at 25 years old and doesn’t come with big cap hits. The former Jaguar should fit better with Jim Schwartz’s scheme and an elite defensive line that doesn’t normally let teams have time to beat them deep, which is where Campbell has struggled some over the years.
The timing of this trade was weird since the Browns have an AFC North game against the Pittsburgh Steelers this week. With Campbell arriving on Thursday, it’s hard to see him having a big impact in Week 6. All things considered, this is a trade that made sense for everyone.
Final grade for the Browns: B
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