​The New York Giants added Greg Newsome II, a former first-round pick of the Cleveland Browns, to a one-year, $8 million free-agent contract this past March as part of their push to strengthen the cornerback group. Newsome, 26, was selected 26th overall out of Northwestern in the 2021 NFL draft. He spent his first four seasons with Cleveland, and the Browns picked up his fifth-year option before he was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars in October last season in exchange for cornerback Tyson Campbell.
The Giants’ coaching staff, largely drawn from the AFC North—where Newsome spent his first four years—believe there is potential remaining in him despite two consecutive down seasons. Moe Moten of Bleacher Report, however, questions the value of the Newsome signing for the Giants, predicting that the move could end up being a bust and that the team would have been better off directing that cap space toward another free-agent cornerback or a position of need.
Newsome’s time with Cleveland had been marked by three years of solid coverage, but the last two seasons saw a drop in play as a pass defender. Across those recent campaigns, he yielded nine touchdowns and allowed passer ratings above 100. Notably, Cleveland traded Newsome to the Jaguars last October, where he gave up five touchdowns and posted a 107.5 passer rating over 12 appearances. If he fails to snap out of a coverage funk, the Giants could find themselves counting their $8 million investment on the sidelines for much of the season.
Yet the Giants dispute that assessment. They highlight Newsome’s first-round pedigree, ideal size at 6-foot-1 and 192 pounds, and premier speed, having run a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the 2021 NFL Combine. The organization is hopeful he can return to the form he showed in 2023, a year in which he set personal bests by recording 49 tackles, four tackles for a loss, 14 passes defensed, and two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown.
Camp figures to be telling for Newsome, who will not have a crowded cornerback room to break into. Deonte Banks and rookie Colton Hood provide some competition, but if Newsome performs well in camp and the preseason, he could claim the starting outside corner spot opposite Paulson Adebo sooner rather than later.
The Giants’ Week 1 opponent looms large as they prepare for a high-profile matchup against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, September 13, at 8:20 p.m. ET. The decision on Newsome’s role could play a significant part in how the defense performs early in the season, given the pressure on the unit to rebound from a disappointing year and the need to bolster a secondary that has been a focal point for improvement. This report originated from Giants Wire, under the headline that Greg Newsome II is predicted to be a Giants bust in 2026 for better SEO, reflecting ongoing debate about the signing’s potential impact.