Greg Newsome II Brings Versatility and Uncertainty to Giants' Crowded Cornerback Room
Greg Newsome II Brings Versatility and Uncertainty to Giants' Crowded Cornerback Room
The veteran corner signed a one-year deal in free agency, but Colton Hood's development and Deonte Banks' growth could push him into a rotational role behind the Giants' new-look secondary.Brandon Olsen|![Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Greg Newsome II (6) enters the stadium before an NFL football game at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_37,w_1606,h_903/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/giants_country/01kvvpfnfta86bsdmbkz.jpg)
In this story:
New York GiantsThe New York Giants' cornerback room on paper is more respectable than it’s been in years, with last year‘s big free agent signing, Paulson Adebo, now entering year two of his deal, a deal to which he has yet to live up to at this point.
That’s not to say Adebo can’t live up to the deal, but since he is getting paid like a top cornerback in 2026, the expectation should be that he performs like a top cornerback in 2026.
Reports throughout the summer are that former first-round pick Deonte Banks has taken significant strides from last year, but we’ll see what that looks like when football actually starts getting played.
If Banks performs the way that he’s trending, this cornerback room on the field could end up being as impressive as it might seem on paper.
The Giants also used their second-round pick this year on Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood, who should step in right away and play a major role on this defense, potentially even as a starter.
In free agency this year, the Giants brought in Greg Newsome II. He spent 2025 with the Cleveland Browns, then the Jacksonville Jaguars after a midseason trade.
Now, Newsome comes in with the hope that he’s able to compete for a starting spot on a one-year deal that results in either a long-term contract or free agent value.
It does appear that the Giants have thrown enough at the cornerback room to think the solution is somewhere in there, but for now, they must still figure out who that is.
Greg Newsome II, CB
- Height: 6-0
- Weight: 192
- EXP: 6 Years
- School: Northwestern
- How Acquired: FA-’26
2025 in Review
The 2025 season is difficult to gauge for Newsome due primarily to the fact that he played on two different teams, the Browns and the Jaguars, both of which have two different systems and presented two different situations. For someone to walk into a situation and contribute at a high level is unlikely.
It’s evident when you watch the film, too, because at the beginning of the season with the Browns, Newsome was playing solid albeit not great football. When he was traded to the Jaguars, he got off to a very rough start in the first seven games there before settling in and finishing the year with a respectable six-game run.
That’s not to make an excuse because while the good was good with him, the bad was very bad, with Newsome going four straight weeks with a touchdown allowed to start his Jaguars tenure.
In 2025, for the first time in his career, Newsome played all 17 games and started 16, with his only game off the bench coming in his first game with the Jaguars.
Contract/Cap Info
The Giants brought in Newsome this offseason on a one-year contract worth $8,000,000 with $3,000,000 fully guaranteed.
If the Giants wanted to cut him, they would eat a $3,000,000 dead cap penalty while creating $5,000,000 in cap space.
Based on talent alone, Newsome will probably be safe this summer when it comes to final roster cuts, but he has extra security because of his guarantees.
Financially, the Giants would create more cap space by releasing Newsome than by releasing any other cornerback in the room. The teams are typically hesitant to cut players who provide multimillion-dollar dead cap penalties.
Newsome, having just a one-year deal, also provides some stability, since the Giants will get out of his deal at year's end anyway.
2026 Preview
The Giants didn’t sign Newsome to be a complete non-factor. Even if he doesn’t end up as a starter in 2026, he should still be part of the rotation at cornerback.
Where Newsome also provides value for himself to the Giants is that he’s been a consistent special teams player throughout the entirety of his career in just about every phase other than returning kicks.
The best-case scenario is that Newsome will be a starter to begin the year, though the odds of him finishing as the starter are not great given Hood's ongoing development and Banks' improvement.
It’s also worth noting that, while he’s in year six as a professional, Newsome just turned 26 years old in May and still has room to grow.
The likelihood that he signs a long-term contract to remain with the Giants is somewhat slim, but there’s also the possibility that he re-signs if he has a strong year, which would mean that Hood would have to wait his turn until Adebo’s contract expires.
Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news, and send your mailbag questions to us.
Published 1 minute ago
BRANDON OLSENBrandon Olsen is the founder of Whole Nine Sports, specializing in NFL Draft coverage. He is also the host of the Locked On Gators Podcast, and appears in-season on the Giants Squad Show for the Locked On podcast network.
Follow WNS_BrandonHome/Big Blue+
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
