Report Claims Browns 1st Round Pick Starting Cornerback Wants To Be Traded; Insider Denies It

Getty Image / Logan Riely

Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome has reportedly requested a trade from the team, according to a source who spoke with Brad Stainbrook of TheOBR.

The news comes as a surprise to many, as Newsome was the Browns’ first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and has been a constant presence on the team’s defense.

Despite playing in 27 games since being drafted, Newsome has yet to record a single interception, a metric that is often used by fans to measure the success of cornerbacks. However, Newsome has been an integral part of the Browns’ defense, playing in 95% of the snaps last season and 89% in his rookie year, for a total of 1598 career snaps.

Newsome recently signed with super agent Drew Rosenhaus and will be represented by Rosenhaus Sports in 2023. According to the report it is believed that Newsome changed agents in order to facilitate a potential trade, as he feels that Rosenhaus Sports can help him get a deal done.

This is not the first time that Newsome has worked with Rosenhaus Sports. Prior to being drafted, Newsome signed with CAA Sports, but ultimately left the agency to sign with Rosenhaus Sports after contract talks with the Browns fell apart. Newsome most recently was represented by Klutch Sports’ Damarius Bilbo and Kelton Crenshaw.

It is unclear at this time why Newsome has requested a trade or where he would like to be traded to. However, with the NFL Draft just a few weeks away, it is possible that the Browns could use Newsome as a trade chip to move up in the draft or acquire additional draft picks.

For now, Browns fans will have to wait and see how this situation unfolds. It is certainly an unexpected turn of events for a team that has been making strides in recent years, and it remains to be seen how Newsome’s request will impact the team’s plans moving forward.

Update:

ESPNs Adam Schefter is denying the report by TheOBR: