Packers Eye Surprising Trade Target: Could a Former First-Round Pick Be Their Next Game-Changer?

Ever wondered what happens when a once-stalwart Green Bay Packers defense suddenly looks like Swiss cheese against the Dallas Cowboys? Yeah, me too. For the first few weeks, the Packers’ defense was turning heads—then bam! Forty points later, front office boss Brian Gutekunst is probably scrambling to hit the panic button. Enter Greg Newsome II, a cornerback whose name is buzzing around as a possible trade target. This isn’t just another roster tweak; it’s a move loaded with strategy, timing, and a dash of desperation. Could Newsome be the versatile defensive fix Matt LaFleur’s squad desperately needs? Let’s dig into why this proposed deal might make perfect sense for both the Packers and the Browns, even if it feels like a hail mary pass at this point in the season.

GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - AUGUST 23: Will Sheppard #82 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates with fans after scoring touchdown in the second quarter during the NFL Preseason 2025 game between Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on August 23, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. — (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

The Green Bay Packers had one of the best defenses in the league in the first three weeks of the regular season.

But after watching the Dallas Cowboys put up 40 points on them, Brian Gutekunst might want to get to work.

With that in mind, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report predicted that they could make a run at Greg Newsome II:

“Cleveland still appears to be going nowhere in 2025, which is why trading cornerback Greg Newsome II ahead of the deadline would make sense. Yes, Newsome has started all four games this season for a defense that is the one unit on which the Browns can hang their hat. However, having a fantastic defense means little when the offense and special teams are struggling as badly as Cleveland’s. The reality is the Browns need to find difference-makers for their offense. Moving Newsome, who is an impending 2026 free agent, might help them do that, albeit in the 2026 draft,” Knox wrote.

This trade could make a lot of sense for both parties, all things considered.

The Packers’ decision to sign Nate Hobbs has backfired tremendously.

He’s been the weakest link in the secondary defense, and not even Jeff Hafley has found a way to hide him.

Newsome is coming off the worst season of his career, but he has been very good this season.

Still, the Browns might not be able or willing to keep him around for the long run.

He’s currently in the fifth year of his rookie contract, and if it weren’t for Martin Emerson Jr.’s season-ending injury, they may have traded him already.

That’s not to say that he’s a lost cause by any means.

He’s just 25 years old and has played well this season.

More than that, he can play at both nickel and outside, splitting time at both spots almost evenly throughout the course of his five-year career.

He would give Matt LaFleur’s team a versatile stopper to deploy in their defensive backfield.

And if the Browns continue to fall behind in the standings, the Packers should make a call.

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