Packers need to call Browns about dream target after Amari Cooper trade

The Packers need to pick up the phone.
Green Bay Packers v Cleveland Browns
Green Bay Packers v Cleveland Browns / Jason Miller/GettyImages
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The Green Bay Packers don't have many concerns across the roster ahead of the upcoming NFL trade deadline.

They have addressed the kicking game by signing veteran Brandon McManus to replace struggling rookie Brayden Narveson, leaving the Packers without any desperate areas of need.

One position they could consider upgrading is cornerback. The Packers benched Eric Stokes in their victory over the Arizona Cardinals, a move they had no choice but to make after his disappointing start to the season. Keisean Nixon took his spot on the outside and was fine, but the Packers should consider exploring their options.

Green Bay's roster has championship potential, but the defense is an injury or two away from disaster at a premium position, as we saw when Jaire Alexander and Carrington Valentine missed the Week 4 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

The Packers need to undo the damage caused by trading Rasul Douglas before last year's deadline, and the Cleveland Browns may have the answer.

Trading for Greg Newsome II would be a home run for the Packers

The 1-5 Browns admitted their season was a lost cause by trading Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills. If Cleveland is open for business, Green Bay needs to pick up the phone and do whatever it takes to land cornerback Greg Newsome II.

The Packers showed interest in Newsome before the 2021 NFL Draft, but the Browns selected him three picks before Green Bay hit the clock in the first round. Coincidentally, the Packers used their first-round pick on Stokes.

Newsome to Green Bay makes so much sense.

He would fit perfectly in Jeff Hafley's scheme. The former first-rounder has plenty of experience playing press-man and can line up inside and outside.

Newsome was outstanding for the Browns last season, making 14 pass defenses and two interceptions (including a pick-six). According to Pro Football Reference, he allowed just 56.7 percent of passes to be completed and only two touchdowns in his coverage, with quarterbacks earning a passer rating of 74.8.

He hasn't been at his best consistently this season, but it's worth noting the Browns have him playing primarily in the slot and rarely on the outside. In previous seasons, he has played a combination of the two. In Green Bay, Newsome could start on the outside opposite Jaire Alexander, which is where he is best suited.

Newsome is under contract through the 2025 season, as Cleveland picked up his fifth-year option.

The Browns' season is falling apart, and the Cooper trade indicates they are sellers before the trade deadline. With Denzel Ward and Martin Emerson Jr. starting at cornerback, Newsome is forced to play mostly in the slot. Green Bay should pick up the phone and make an offer for the former first-round pick, who could solidify a starting position in the secondary while giving the defense much-needed depth at a premium position.

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