Vikings Again Tied to Coveted CB Target
Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II has been attached to the Minnesota Vikings rumor mill for about five months.
The Vikings have again been linked to a highly coveted cornerback target, fueling speculation about potential moves before the 2025 season or next year.
Once a trade candidate around the league, Newsome II may not be available any longer due to injuries to Cleveland’s secondary.
But that shouldn’t prevent Minnesota from chasing Newsome II next year, according to Bleacher Report.
BR Says Greg Newsome II for Vikings in 2026
The upcoming season is the final of Newsome II’s rookie contract.
Bleacher Report Recommends Greg Newsome II for Vikings in 2026
BR’s Alex Ballentine identified a free-agent-to-be for each NFL team to target next offseason, and for the Vikings, Newsome II stood off the page.
He wrote, The Vikings are going to hope Mekhi Blackmon has a great bounce-back season after a serious knee injury last season. He had a strong rookie campaign in 2023. But they’re also hoping to get something out of Jeff Okudah and/or Isaiah Rodgers. Okudah is playing on a one-year deal and Rodgers only has a two-year contract.”
“There’s not a lot of reason the Vikings wouldn’t be on the market for a corner again if Okudah doesn’t pan out. If that’s the case, then Greg Newsome II would be a logical target. He’s used to playing coverage in an aggressive scheme in Cleveland and he has inside-out versatility.”
And truth be told, Newsome II to Minnesota would make sense because the team’s general manager, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, worked in the Browns’ front office when Cleveland drafted him four years ago. There’s an executive-player connection.
A Trade All but Dead?
Before the BR article, Newsome II commonly inhabited Minnesota’s trade rumor mill. The Browns’ finances are shaky, mainly due to Deshaun Watson’s sketchy contract, and players like Newsome II may not be part of Cleveland’s long-term plans.
However, late last month, Browns cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. tore his Achilles and will miss the entire 2025 season. Trading Newsome II, at least to the naked eye, is no longer on the table. So if Minnesota wanted Newsome II — it’s just a theory right now — it may have to wait until March 2026.
Vikings’ CB Group This Season
Of course, Minnesota can just ask new corners Isaiah Rodgers and Jeff Okudah to ball out, negating the need for Newsome II or anyone else. Adofo-Mensah onboarded those men as his 2025 CB solutions, and to date at training camp and in the preseason, the results seem decent.
If Rodgers or Okudah falter, defensive coordinator Brian Flores could also turn to Mekhi Blackmon, Dwight McGlothern, rookie Zemaiah Vaughn, or Ambry Thomas.
And for 2026 free agency, cornerbacks Jaire Alexander, Kaiir Elam, Kader Kohou, and Amik Robertson, among others, will likely be available.
Don’t Forget Ivan Pace Jr. for the Long Haul
Ballentine, too, emphasized the importance of inking linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. to an extension.
“Brian Flores has built a front seven in Minnesota that is hell for opposing offenses. The Vikings have done a good job of identifying and developing talent that fits what they like to do and linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. is the embodiment of that. He was added as an undrafted free agent,” Ballentine remarked.
“He plays with the exact kind of edge you’d expect from someone who had to earn a role as a UDFA. He carried the third-highest pass-rush grade from any linebacker, according to PFF, last season. He was also top 15 against the run. He’ll only be a restricted free agent next offseason, but Minnesota would be wise to lock him into a longer deal.”
Pace Jr. extension talks should heat up next spring.
Lions, Bears Recommendations
Ballentine also claimed that the Detroit Lions, a Vikings rival, should pursue EDGE rusher Kwity Pate next offseason.
He explained, “Aidan Hutchinson gives the Lions a star pass-rusher when healthy. But the pass rush looked much more human when he was forced to miss 12 games last season with a knee injury. He still led the team with 7.5 sacks in the five games he played.”
“If Detroit doesn’t have a secondary edge-rusher emerge opposite Hutchinson this season, they could be looking to the free-agent market. There aren’t a ton of productive options that don’t just fit the one-year mercenary role. Kwity Paye is one of the exceptions. The Colt has 26.5 sacks through four seasons and is only 26 years old.”
And it was New York Jets running back Breece Hall for the Chicago Bears: “The Bears are heading toward a tight cap situation in 2026. They are projected to be $9.5 million over the cap heading into the offseason. However, clearing enough cap space to pay for a running back should be doable and Breece Hall figures to be one of the most intriguing names who could be available.”
“He has struggled to live up to the expectations of being an early second-rounder. We’re waiting on his first 1,000-yard rushing season. But the Jets haven’t been a picture of offensive stability or even blocking during his time in New York. A fresh start in a Ben Johnson offense could be appealing for both parties.”
As of August 14th, the Vikings are scheduled to have the NFL’s worst salary cap predicament entering the 2026 offseason, underwater by approximately $66 million. They might be bargain-bin shopping next March.
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