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San Francisco 49ers Urged to Trade For former 1st-Round Pick to Solidify CB

Originally posted on Gridiron Heroics | By Matt Lombardo | Last updated 3/25/24

The San Francisco 49ers and general manager John Lynch have never shied away from making big splashes to bolster areas of weakness in recent seasons.

Whether it is trading for a franchise running back such as Christian McCaffrey to round out the offense, or upgrading what was already one of the game’s more dominant front-sevens by acquiring Chase Young in a trade deadline deal, Lynch is nothing if not aggressive.

After falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl, Lynch and the 49ers could look to take a flier on yet another a former first-round pick who the organization believes a change of scenery could bring out the best in.

If the Cleveland Browns are intent on trading cornerback Greg Newsome, The 33rd Team suggests the San Francisco 49ers would be a perfect fit.

“The San Francisco 49ers could use another outside cornerback opposite Charvarius Ward,” Dan Pizzula writes for The 33rd Team. “Deommodore Lenoir and Ambry Thomas were average when out there in 2023 as the 49ers cycled through players on the outside. San Francisco could work to load up some contracts while taking advantage of Brock Purdy’s seventh-round rookie contract while it lasts.

How Greg Newsome Could Fit San Francisco 49ers

After initially struggling to find his footing, Greg Newsome had one of the finest seasons of his career in Jim Schwartz’s defense during the 2023 campaign.

The Browns’ first-round selection with the No. 26 overall pick during the 2021 draft, Newsome was the definition of a shutdown corner in 2023, holding opposing quarterbacks to a 76.4 passer rating when targeting him last season, according to Pro Football Focus.

Through his first three seasons, Newsome has produced 128 total tackles with one sack and two interceptions.

As the 49ers look to solidify the secondary and restore some of the physicality that was a trademark of the defense at large under former defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, Newsome could be an ideal trade target to watch.

This article first appeared on Gridiron Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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