Greg Newsome II 'blessed' to have option picked up, wants to be 'Cleveland Brown for life'

The 2024 NFL Draft has come and gone without the Cleveland Browns trading cornerback Greg Newsome II, which has Newsome thinking differently about his future.

Although it wasn’t necessarily a surprise when the Browns picked up Newsome’s fifth-year option for 2025, Newsome’s name had been floated in some pre-draft trade rumors. That was put to bed when Browns general manager Andrew Berry said on draft weekend: “Very happy with Greg.”

Newsome told Scott Petrak of BrownsZone.com that he’s “blessed” to have a clearer picture of his immediate and longer-term outlook in Cleveland.

“Just blessed that the organization sees so much in me. Just blessed that obviously that amount will be able to help me change my family’s future even more,” Newsome said Monday at the third annual Northeast Ohio Girls High School Flag Football Championship Tournament at Cleveland Browns Stadium. “So just super blessed, super excited that they want me here and that I want to be here. It’s a blessing.”

And though there’s still a lot to figure out financially, Newsome said he wants to be a Brown for life.

“Extension-wise, we haven’t really talked about that,” he said. “Honestly, I’m just focused on trying to get us as high as we can this year and whatever happens after that happens.
“But like I said before, I would love to be a Cleveland Brown for life.”

The No. 26 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Newsome will have an injury-guaranteed salary of roughly $13.38 million in 2025. The Browns also have three-time Pro Bowl CB Denzel Ward on a big-money deal and former third-round pick Martin Emerson, who emerged as a strong contributor last season, on a rookie contract. But Newsome also has stated his case to earn a long-term deal.

He has settled in as a core contributor over his three seasons, with two interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, while starting 39 of 41 games in his career (13 of 14 last season). In 2023, Newsome hit career highs with 14 passes defensed, 49 tackles and four tackles for loss. The Browns featured the NFL’s top-ranked pass defense last season at 164.7 yards per game.