He did it again! Since becoming the general manager of the Jacksonville Jaguars, James Gladstone has wasted no time getting rid of players that the past regime brought that don't fit the team's current vision. Following the draft, it was wide receiver Gabe Davis. Running back Tank Bigsby was next after the season opener against the Carolina Panthers. More recently, the Jags just sent Tyson Campbell to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for Greg Newsome.
A second-round pick in the 2022 draft, Campbell signed an extension worth $76.5 million in 2024. The deal raised eyebrows because the former Georgia Bulldog got the highest contract ever for a cornerback who had never made the Pro Bowl or earned an All-Pro designation.
But despite his bloated contract, the new regime gave Campbell a clean slate. Four weeks into the regular season, it didn't work out, so they chose to cut ties instead of waiting any longer.
Now, Campbell gets a fresh start with the Browns, and in return, the Jags get cornerback Greg Newsome. At first sight, this looks like a lateral move, but the team's brass doesn't make deals for the sake of it. With that in mind, here's a look at the trade, along with the cap implications, and a grade.
Grade the trade: The Jaguars and Browns swap Tyson Campbell for Greg Newsome (along with draft picks)
Adam Schefter of ESPN first reported the deal. The Jaguars got Greg Newsome and a sixth-round pick in exchange for Tyson Campbell and a seventh-round pick.
Campbell originally had a cap hit of $8 million for 2025. Trading leaves $6.1 million in dead money this year and $19.52 million in 2026 while freeing up $1.8 million in cap space. Before the deal, Jacksonville had $9 million in cap space, and will now need to take on what's left of Newsome's salary for the remainder of the season. It shouldn't be much when you consider that Cleveland already paid all the guarantees on his contract.
Newsome, a first-round pick in the 2021 draft, is entering the last year of his rookie deal after getting his rookie option picked up, meaning that he'll become a free agent after this season. The former Northwestern Wildcat had made five starts for the Browns this season, giving up a solid 63.8 completion rate and two touchdowns.
Campbell had also started five games in Jacksonville this season, allowing a 67.1 percent completion rate and four touchdowns. That's not bad, but it's most definitely not what the Jaguars expected from the cornerback with the 11th-highest salary in the NFL right now.
Sure, the Jaguars already paid a good chunk of Campbell's signing bonus, but that was under the past regime. James Gladstone inherited him. He tried to give it a shot. It didn't work, so he's cutting ties instead of waiting until next year. And that's the thing, the former Georgia Bulldog had previously played at a top-10 level before injuries derailed his past two seasons, so it was worth giving it a shot.
By pulling the trigger now, Jacksonville was able to acquire another corner who may thrive in his place. Had the front office waited until next year, his stock might've experienced a steep drop off, so might as well get a deal done now.
And precisely because the Jags cut their losses now and looked for ways to improve their cornerback room without giving up any meaningful draft ammo, they get a solid (but not great) score.
Grade: B+