Under general manager James Gladstone, the Jacksonville Jaguars will consistently look for ways to get better. That's why nobody batted an eye when they traded Tyson Campbell to the Cleveland Browns in return for Greg Newsome.
Given that Newsome has starting experience and has shown that he's capable of playing at a high level, the expectation is that he'll be an upgrade over Campbell. This begs the question, just how soon will he be pressed into action after landing in Jacksonville a couple days after the 31-28 win over the Kansas City Chiefs? Head coach Liam Coen just revealed the team's plan for the newly acquired cornerback.
The Jaguars expect Greg Newsome to play vs. the Seahawks
Liam Coen met with the local media ahead of the Seahawks game and said that Greg Newsome is expected to play, noting that he'll continue to get acclimated as much as he can.
"That's the plan right now is to be able to continue to onboard them as much as we can through the next few days here," Coen said when asked if Newsome will play (0:34 mark). "And seems like there is maybe some carryover from some of the terms he's used in the past, and that's kind of what that part is for the next few days is what can he correlate from where he's been in the past from Cleveland to here, things that may be similar that he can try to connect the dots on. So, definitely feel like he has an opportunity to play, though."
Later in the exchange, Coen was asked whether Newsome would step into Campbell's role. He said the coaching staff hasn't gotten to that point, "We haven't gone that far. We're hoping he can just help us win on this Sunday, coming out."
Campbell made five starts for the Jaguars this season. He logged 300 snaps outside and nine at nickel. For his part, Newsome played 260 snaps in the boundaries and 11 in the slot with the Browns, so he could most definitely have a similar role in Jacksonville.
The Jaguars could use a mix of Greg Newsome, Montaric Brown, and Travis Hunter
The Jaguars would surely like to see Greg Newsome have a featured role as early as possible but don't have to rush him into action because they have Travis Hunter and Montaric Brown in the fold.
Hunter has seen his role at corner increase after a slow start to the season. He's seemingly getting more comfortable and was even among the top 5 highest-graded defensive rookies in Week 5. With Tyson Campbell no longer in the mix, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner could keep seeing an uptick in playing time.
On the other hand, Montaric Brown could also get extended playing time after the Campbell trade. He was having a strong training camp before suffering a leg injury. The former Arkansas Razorback missed a few games to start the season but is back at full strength.
This is just a guess but the coaching staff could give playing time to Travis Hunter, Montaric Brown, and Greg Newsome against the Seattle Seahawks. They can then see how they fare and adjust their role accordingly for future games.