(Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire)

The Cleveland Browns had arguably the league’s best defense in 2023, but that unit took a seismic step back in 2024 thanks to injuries and a league-worst offense that put them in too many compromising situations.

There is plenty of hope the defense can turn things around in 2025, with cornerback Greg Newsome II being a huge part of that, though one insider sees things potentially playing out a bit differently.

Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports recently linked Newsome to the Minnesota Vikings in a potential trade, noting that Newsome is heading into a contract year and the Browns have adequate depth at the position to stomach such a move.

“Forward-thinking general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was in the Browns’ front office when Cleveland spent a first-rounder on Newsome in 2021, and at just 25, the former Northwestern standout has the upside to become a longer-term option for Brian Flores’ defense. Why would the Browns give up such a young chess piece? Despite his draft reputation, Newsome managed just three starts in Jim Schwartz’s unit in 2024, and he’s headed into a contract year,” Benjamin wrote.

This is a fairly random trade idea at this point in the offseason, but there is some reason to believe that this could happen.

As Benjamin noted, Newsome hasn’t fully lived up to the hype that comes with being a first-round pick, as he saw his role slightly diminish last season and doesn’t have a clear path to a much larger role as long as Denzel Ward and Martin Emerson are in town.

Newsome had 27 tackles and an interception in 13 games last season and has just three interceptions in his four years in the league, so he has left some meat on the bone and could be a sneaky trade candidate if Cleveland sees enough of a spark from other unproven members of the secondary in training camp.

That being said, it’s unlikely he gets moved at this point, as the Browns still need Ward insurance given his concussion history.