Jacksonville Jaguars lose another key defender in free agency as Greg Newsome II signs with New York Giants.
Greg Newsome II is moving on after one year with the Jacksonville Jaguars, agreeing to a one-year contract worth an estimated $10 million with the New York Giants, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Tuesday.
Newsome is the third Jaguars starter leaving Jacksonville in free agency. Running back Travis Etienne Jr., a four-year starter in the Jags' backfield, is moving on to the New Orleans Saints after agreeing to a four-year, $52 million contract; and the Carolina Panthers are signing All-Pro linebacker Devin Lloyd on a three-year, $45 million deal.
Free-agent contract agreements are expected to become official with the start of the new league year on Wednesday.
Texans receiver Jayden Higgins makes a catch against Greg Newsome II in the Jaguars cornerback's fourth game with Jacksonville after he was traded from the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 9, 2025. (Troy Taormina/Imagn Images)Newsome started 12 of the 13 games he appeared in for the Jags, including their wildcard playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 11, after he was part of a trade package on Oct. 9 that sent Tyson Campbell to the Cleveland Browns.
In those 12 games, the 6-foot, 192-pound speedster totaled 32 tackles (25 solo), six pass deflections and one interception as a key member of a secondary that ranked second in the NFL (behind the Chicago Bears) in interceptions (22) and takeaways (32).
But even as Newsome played a role in helping the Jaguars go on an eight-game win streak to close out the regular season with a 13-4 record and an AFC South title, his performance in Jacksonville's 27-24 playoff loss to the Bills seemed to have shaped the narrative about his value to the Jags going into the offseason.
Pro Football Focus credited Newsome with allowing five receptions on five targets for 59 yards in a contest that saw Bills quarterback and then-reigning MVP Josh Allen power his team to a comeback victory late in the fourth quarter. Allen completed 28 of 35 passes for 273 yards and a touchdown for the game and ran for two scores.
Talking to reporters on Monday, Jan. 12, following the home loss, Newsome said he hoped to return with Jacksonville for a shot at redeeming his play at the end of the season.
Newsome acknowledged learning a new defensive system on the fly was a challenge.
"(To have) a full offseason showing them exactly what I can do to the full extent," Newsome explained, "with just knowing everything and being comfortable from the beginning."
A first-round draft pick by the Browns, 26th overall, out of Northwestern in 2012, Newsome was an immediate contributor and starter for Cleveland. The Chicago native remained in the starting lineup until three weeks into the 2024 season, when then coach Kevin Stefanski pushed Newsome down the depth chart to the No. 3 corner. Newsome had been recovering from surgery to repair a torn hamstring over that summer that had landed him on the Browns' injury list throughout training camp. The team placed him on injured reserve on Dec. 10, ending his season, after he felt his hamstring "pop" in a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
After the 2024 season, the Browns had planned to increase Newsome's workload for 2025, while the 25-year-old worked on strengthening his hamstring.
In his partial season with the Jaguars, Newsome allowed a completion rate of 68 percent and 11.7 yards per catch, according to Pro Football Focus.
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The Jaguars announced Monday they have retained two impending free agents in cornerback Montaric Brown and linebacker Dennis Gardeck.
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