The Cleveland Browns were relatively quiet at the NFL trade deadline, moving edge rusher Za'Darius Smith while many other tradeable players stayed put.
It was a rather strange decision by the Browns to retain everyone else, but then again, other teams that were expected to sell were rather quiet, as well.
But this isn't the end of the line for Cleveland trade chatter.
The offseason arrives in just three months, and when it does, the Browns will have many crucial decisions to make. Such as what to do with cornerback Greg Newsome II.
Newsome appeared to be an obvious trade candidate heading into the Nov. 5 deadline. After all, his named surfaced in trade speculation back in the spring, and with 24-year-old having just one year remaining on his deal at $13 million, Cleveland may place him on the block again.
The Browns already have Denzel Ward and Martin Emerson Jr. at the cornerback position, so it seems rather unlikely that they will commit to Newsome long term.
Newsome has been a fine player for Cleveland since being selected in the first round of the draft back in 2020, but he certainly isn't irreplaceable. As a matter of fact, some felt he was actually the Browns' third best corner going into 2024.
The Northwestern product absolutely has value and may be able to fetch Cleveland a fourth-round draft pick in a potential deal. Plenty of teams would be interested, and an extended bidding war could be created for his services.
Perhaps the Browns chose to punt on Newsome because they felt they would be able to secure a better offer with more time for deliberation in the offseason.
If that ends up being the case, look for Cleveland to explore the trade market for Newsome in March.
This article first appeared on Cleveland Browns on SI and was syndicated with permission.
