A Vikings Trade Target Appears Too Good to be True
In a lot of ways, Greg Newsome II looks like the ideal Vikings trade target.
The Cleveland corner is young, has good size, and plays a position of need. He has a connection to Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and the Browns are in a world of hurt financially, meaning they’ll need to offload some cap charges to get their budget in order. Will a trade between the Vikings and Browns actually take place?
A Vikings Trade Target: CB Greg Newsome II
No doubt, Mr. Newsome looks like someone who could help the Vikings, making him a fascinating trade target. He got snagged at No. 26 back in 2021, a year when Adofo-Mensah was still working within Cleveland’s front office.
Go ahead and remove the Vikings from your thinking. Consider the Browns and the Browns alone. Andrew Berry’s team is in tough spot — Cleveland has itself to blame — so there will need to be some major changes. At more than $30 million over the cap, the Browns need to carve out cap space. Trading Newsome means clearing all $13.377 million off the books (no dead money), which is to say nothing of the benefit of adding a draft pick(s) in return. Sounds like something Cleveland should be interested in considering.
At just 24, Newsome — who is about to enter his fifth season in the NFL — is actually younger than Mekhi Blackmon. Newsome was born on May 18th, 2000; Blackmon was born on March 18th, 1999. So, Newsome has more than a year of added youth and two years of added experience.
In theory, Minnesota could roll into the 2025 NFL Draft with a top trio of corners consisting of Newsome, Blackmon, and Byron Murphy Jr. The cluster of talent would offer a nice blend of youth and experience.
Even better, there’s versatility in Newsome’s game. Across his initial four seasons, Newsome has picked up 1,418 snaps as a wide corner and 1,148 snaps as a slot corner. Sounds like someone Brian Flores would be enthused about working alongside.
He has 3 interceptions and 34 passes defended in his career.
Those keeping score at home will be tracking the reasons for intrigue: a connection to the GM, youth to stand alongside his experience, and then some versatility. The cherry on top? Good size.
Playing defensive football at a high level often comes down to being able to matchup well. If, for instance, the other team has a bully receiver capable of winning every jump ball, then pass defense could be in short supply on that Sunday afternoon.
The 6’1″, 192-pound Newsome offers better size than the others corners mentioned so far (Blackmon comes in at 5’11”, 178 whereas Murphy is 5’11”, 190). A major part of the appeal of Shaq Griffin and Stephon Gilmore this past season rested in their ability to go toe-to-toe with larger outside receivers. Can Newsome be that guy for the Vikings in the future?
To make sense for the Vikings, the cost to acquire Newsome can’t be astronomical. Rather, the deal would need to involve either the 3rd-Round selection or possibly one of the 5ths. Maybe something from the 2026 cluster of picks, but nothing that ventures too high. Minnesota is, after all, taking a large contract off the books for Cleveland, something that does have value for the Browns.
Minnesota could then, in turn, look to extend Newsome if they feel comfortable committing for more years, lessening the 2025 cap charge in the process.
Corner is perhaps Minnesota’s foremost need at the present moment. Attacking the issue from all angles — free agency, the draft, and, indeed, on the trade market — could end up being the most prudent approach.
Don’t lose sight of Greg Newsome II. He’s a young, tall corner who is playing for a team that is an absolute mess, needing to shed salary to become cap compliant. Even better, Adofo-Mensah has connections aplenty with that team.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
Vikings Listed as Landing Spot for Super Bowl Champ Free Agent
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter, as a co-host for Notes from the North, and as the proprietor at The Vikings Gazette, a humble Vikings Substack.
You must be logged in to post a comment.