Greg Newsome II healthy and off to strong start in pivotal year, ready to embrace larger role

BEREA — Receiver DeAndre Carter lined up on the outside, started toward the middle, then angled for the sideline. Cornerback Greg Newsome II appeared to be beat but knew what was coming and quickly blanketed Carter, forcing the quarterback to go elsewhere."That was one of my good reps today," Newsome told The Chronicle-Telegram on Saturday.He's had plenty of those through the first week of training camp. The strong performance carries extra meaning for a number of reasons.With Martin Emerson Jr. out for the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon sustained Tuesday in practice, Newsome is the unquestioned No. 2 corner opposite Pro Bowler Denzel Ward.Defense dealt another blow, as Martin Emerson Jr. out for season with torn Achilles, will have surgeryNewsome had been ahead of Emerson in the rotation, with Emerson taking over on the outside in the nickel package and Newsome sliding into the slot. Without Emerson, Newsome is likely to spend most, if not all, of his time on the outside.Before the Emerson injury, Newsome (6-foot, 192 pounds) explained why it's important to him to be considered an outside corner and not just a nickelback. After an almost even split of repetitions in 2022, he played more in the slot than on the outside each of the last two seasons."Just growing up, when you think of the greatest corners to play this game, they're all outside corners," he said. "So that was just the thing. I'm a tall, lengthy guy. I feel like I specialize in man-to-man coverage."So that was just always something that I just loved to do. I love being put on the island. I love having all the eyes on me. If I mess up, I'm willing to take it and then when I do well, I'm willing to take that, too. So it's just something that, growing up, I love that competition."Tough times: Browns tackle in practice for first time under Kevin StefanskiFellow Northwestern alum Cameron Mitchell is likely the first option to play in the slot in the nickel with Newsome sticking outside. If the coaches need Newsome on the inside, he's willing and able to play there, as well."Whatever the team needs me to do, I'm going to end up doing that," he said. "But I do also like showing my versatility, that I can still play both at an elite level."The early camp success shows how far Newsome, 25, has come in a year. He missed all of camp in 2024 after surgery to repair a torn hamstring."It feels amazing first just to be back on the field," he said. "It's a blessing. I feel healthy and I think we're doing a good job right now."He returned last year in time for the opener and started three of 13 games with an interception, five passes defensed and 27 tackles. The hamstring never got to 100 percent.Browns ownership talks patience and panic, how 3-14 'won't cut it' and the need to see rookie QBs in games"Not really the entire season," he said. "I felt it every single day. My strength was way lower on the left than the right. I didn't feel good really the entire year last year."Newsome said the recovery time for a hamstring tear is eight to 10 weeks but he was back in six "just to get out there with the guys." His play suffered."Not even just necessarily blaming the hamstring, just off of simple not guarding anybody until Week 1," he said. "Obviously the hamstring does a little bit, but just not being able to go against (Jerry) Jeudy and Coop (Amari Cooper) and (David) Njoku and guys like that before the first game was definitely difficult."The offseason allowed Newsome to completely recover and hit the ground running this season."It's a lot of rest. It's a lot of strengthening, a lot of stuff that you really can't do during the season just because the schedule is so short," he said. "So this offseason, I was fully able to have a full offseason of getting back right. I feel amazing."It's a good time for Newsome to feel good.He's in the last year of his rookie contract after the Browns picked up the $13.4 million fifth-year option in the 2024 offseason. His play has been too inconsistent for a first-round pick (No. 26 overall in 2021) to warrant a long-term, huge-money extension and he's out to change that."Yeah, it's definitely important," he said. "But at the end of the day, I feel like it's important just to get that awful taste out of our mouth from last season. If we win football games, everything that I want to happen for me is going to happen. So my goal is to try to help this team win as best as I can."He's not obsessing over what will come next."I honestly don't think about it like that," he said. "I feel like my guys love me, the front office loves me. So, yes, it's technically the last year on my deal, but I'm going to go out here and do my best, play my hardest and see if I can get something long term here."He hasn't budged on his stance he wants to be a "Brown for life.""In order to do that, I got to hold up my end of the bargain," he told reporters Wednesday. "I got to go back to being that player that I know I can be."Browns CB Greg Newsome II reiterates he wants to be a Brown for life. Newsome entering last year of rookie contract. pic.twitter.com/mJw1NQAklQ— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) July 30, 2025https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsNewsome has started 42 of 54 games, totaling three interceptions, a touchdown, 34 passes defensed, a sack and 155 tackles, including four for loss. That he's made it to Year 5 in Cleveland is a shock to those who pay attention to the offseason rumor mill. For the last two years, Newsome has been a popular subject of speculation."I wasn't on social media the entire offseason, so I didn't see none of that," he said. "But every conversation I have with AB (general manager Andrew Berry) and ownership is that we love Greg and we're not trading him. So I don't believe it."After the injury to Emerson, Newsome isn't going anywhere anytime soon."He looks really healthy, making plays," coach Kevin Stefanski said. "Good to have him out there because he's another vocal guy, a guy that brings juice to the defense."Cornerbacks coach Brandon Lynch said Newsome has cranked up the intensity."I see him really attacking the day," Lynch said. "He's always been a very assertive learner, a very assertive young man, but you really see him attacking the moment, attacking the day. He's one of our team leaders and we talk about be a trusted teammate. He's somebody that they go to for communication. You feel his presence on the field."Newsome will have nowhere to hide this year. That's perfect for a guy who relishes the spotlight."Denzel Ward is the best cornerback in the league and whoever's going to be opposite of him has to hold their own," he said. "I'll be doing a great job at that this season."The post Greg Newsome II healthy and off to strong start in pivotal year, ready to embrace larger role first appeared on BrownsZone with Scott Petrak.