The Giants needed some new cornerbacks and found a Newsome the second day of NFL free agency.
With Cor’Dale Flott leaving for the Titans and other Plan Bs not coming to fruition, the Giants pivoted Tuesday, agreeing to terms with former first-round draft pick Greg Newsome II. The one-year contract includes just $3 million guaranteed and is worth up to $10 million, sources told The Post.
“BIG BLUE LETS GO TO WORK!!” Newsome wrote on X.
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tRY IT NOWNewsome, 25, started 16 games last season between the Browns — who selected him with the No. 26 pick in the 2021 draft — and Jaguars. He was part of a midseason cornerback swap that saw Tyson Campbell headed in the other direction.
It wasn’t Newsome’s best season. He allowed a 109.0 passer rating and five touchdowns when targeted in coverage — and committed five penalties.
But Newsome has pedigree and still should be in his prime, which makes him a value bounce-back candidate. He has four interceptions in 71 career games, including 58 starts.
The Browns exercised his fifth-year option but traded him after not finding common ground on the price for an extension. The Jaguars benched Newsome in both Weeks 11 and 12, based on performance but returned to him as a starter down the stretch.
Greg Newsome with the Jaguars last season. Getty Images
The Giants were confident Monday morning about being able to re-sign Flott, but the Titans pushed his price tag to a level (three years, $45 million) that exceeded his in-house estimated value. Flott was one of three members of the 2022 Giants draft class — the first for general manager Joe Schoen and then-head coach Brian Daboll (now the Titans offensive coordinator) — to relocate to Tennessee.
That meant waking up Tuesday with former first-round pick Deonte Banks — who is going to have to win over head coach John Harbaugh by showing better effort than he did under Daboll — penciled in as a starter opposite Paulson Adebo. That was not going to work.
The Giants also agreed to terms with defensive back Ar’Darius Washington, though he fills more of a hybrid slot cornerback and extra safety role, like the one that previously belonged to departed free agent Dane Belton (Jets).
With Riq Woolen and Nahshon Wright still unsigned — and Nate Hobbs getting his release from the Packers on Tuesday — the Giants could double down with another starting-caliber signing at cornerback.
The Giants also re-signed cornerback Art Green, an exclusive rights free agent. He has played in 20 games (mostly on special teams) over the last two seasons.
