The Jacksonville Jaguars managed to re-sign Montaric Brown just before the start of free agency. However, they're letting another starting cornerback leave.
On Day 2 of the legal tampering period, Jordan Schultz reported that Greg Newsome is signing a one-year deal to join the New York Giants. His departure doesn't come as a surprise, as the 2021 first-round pick struggled in his lone season in Duval.
Not long after the original scoop, Schultz added that Newsome's deal is worth up to $10 million.
The writing was on the wall for Greg Newsome after the Jaguars locked up Montaric Brown
The Jaguars traded for Greg Newsome last year, swapping him for Tyson Campbell at the deadline. The expectation was that he was going to be an upgrade at cornerback, but instead struggled, giving up a completion rate of 69.5 and five touchdowns in just five games.
While Newsome said that he would like to return to Jacksonville, noting that he had unfinished business, it wasn't shocking to see the Jags let him walk. And that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Instead of doubling down on their mistake, the team's brass is cutting its losses. Now, the Giants have a starting cornerback who could bounce back. His addition will come in handy after New York watched cornerback Cor'Dale Flott bolt for the Tennessee Titans.
And that's the thing, Newsome was a fine player during his stint with the Cleveland Browns. That's why Jacksonville traded for him to begin with. Heck, you could make the case that the former Northwestern Wildcat never had a chance to put it all together because Cleveland was stacked at cornerback. However, the team's brass didn't think re-signing him was worth the risk, which is why they didn't make an aggressive effort to bring him back.
What's next for the Jaguars after letting Greg Newsome walk?
Before the start of free agency, cornerback appeared to be a glaring need for the Jaguars because there was a chance they could lose both Greg Newsome and Montaric Brown. Having locked up the latter, the position is no longer a priority. Sure, the front office could still add reinforcements at the position, but Jacksonville could turn its focus to defensive tackle and the pass rush.
After all, two-way star Travis Hunter is expected to play defense full-time next season. That means that he'll tentatively start opposite Brown. With Jourdan Lewis and Jarrian Jones slated to play nickel, the Jags only need depth at corner. They can get it done by re-signing Christian Braswell or using one of their three third-round picks.
Of course, the Jaguars could also add a cornerback in free agency, but don't expect them to break the bank to make it happen. Instead, they'll probably try to address other needs... once they free up enough space, that is.