The Jacksonville Jaguars will surely look to make upgrades at cornerback in the NFL Draft despite the fact that they signed Jourdan Lewis in free agency. The issue is that they'll have a finite number of picks, and there's a chance they'll prioritize other positions. If they do, the Cleveland Browns may offer what could turn out to be an intriguing fallback.
Jordan Schultz reported hours ahead of the draft that the Cleveland Browns are placing cornerback Greg Newsome and defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo on the trade block.
This could be a giveaway of their draft strategy, but regardless of the reason, the Browns are making both players available; the Jags need to do due diligence.
Newsome was a first-round pick in 2021 who had a starting role early in his career but was eventually phased out in favor of Martin Emerson. With Danzel Ward entrenched on the opposite side of the field, Cleveland seemingly has no need for Newsome. He could definitely help the Jaguars.
Sure, Jacksonville has Tyson Campbell, Jourdan Lewis, and Jarrian Jones in the fold, but you can never have too many good players. Trading for Newsome would provide immediate depth at cornerback. Last year, Montaric Brown was the primary backup. While he was serviceable, he was inconsistent.
Sure, Newsome is entering a contract year could turn out to be a one-year rental. Nevertheless. Adding him would give the Jags the flexibility to address other positions early in the draft.
On a related note, Okoronkwo should also be on the Jaguars' radar. They need to round out their pass rush rotation, and he would be a great No. 3 behind Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen. A fifth-round pick in 2018, he played for the Los Angeles Rams and Houston Texans before joining the Browns. Since 2022, he's posted 12.5 sacks.
Why should the Jaguars trade for Greg Newsome or Ogbo Okoronkwo?
The Jaguars bolster several position groups in free agency but still need to address several needs. They should be able to take care of a few but not all, especially if they trade up in the first round, as they would have to give up a few draft picks.
For the sake of the argument, though, let's say the Jags draft running back Ashton Jeanty at No. 5. They're also rumored to be targeting Jack Bech and Emeka Egbuaka in Round 2. They could then add a defensive tackle or offensive guard in the third round. Starting in Round 4, they'll be looking for depth pieces and developmental prospects.
By trading for Greg Newsome, they wouldn't have to worry about adding a cornerback. The only potential roadblock is that the Jaguars would have to take on his $13 million salary for 2025. That could discourage the Jags from making a run at him, but they could most definitely take on the cap hit if they wanted to. On the other hand, Ogbo Okoronkwo has an affordable base salary of $2.2 million. That's a fair amount for a rotational pass rusher.
Of course, there's a chance the Jaguars will ultimately add a corner and a pass rusher early in the draft, but if they don't, Newsome and Okoronkwo offer intriguing alternatives.