Potential Raiders trade target might no longer be available

The Las Vegas Raiders are still trying to sort out their cornerback room before the season begins.

During training camp, the battle has continued to shake out in surprising ways. Third-round rookie Darien Porter looks to be squarely in the mix for a starting spot, while one of the better corners on the Raiders from last season in Jakorian Bennett could end up on the trade block. Free agent signing Eric Stokes and 2024 fourth-round pick Decamerion Richardson are also in contention for a starting spot in 2025.

The Raiders could still be looking for an upgrade, however, but they might have missed an opportunity at a player they were linked to before.

Recent updates out of NFL training camps suggest one potential cornerback target is off the board.

In a list of trades he wanted to see during training camps, ESPN’s Seth Walder suggested a deal between the Raiders and Cleveland Browns for cornerback Greg Newsome II.

“For the Browns, the most important part of this deal would be shedding Newsome’s salary. The Browns currently have $17.5 million in 2025 cap space, but they’re already $35.4 million in the red in 2026, per OverTheCap.com. In other words, they need the savings. Considering the team is a noncontender in 2025 and Newsome has just one fully guaranteed year left on his contract, it makes sense for Cleveland to want to move on,” wrote Walder.

The proposed trade would be a tremendous buy-low opportunity for the Raiders, acquiring Newsome and a 2027 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round pick.

However, the chances of a deal getting done for Newsome took a massive hit on Wednesday. That day, it was announced that Browns cornerback Martin Emerson suffered a season-ending Achilles tear during practice. It does not necessarily remove Newsome from the trade block, but the sudden need at cornerback could lead the Browns to decide not to throw in the towel just yet.

If the Raiders are still able to make a deal happen, however, Newsome is still young enough to warrant a look as a piece for the future.