BEREA, Ohio — Cornerback Tyson Campbell went from an emotional win over the Chiefs on Monday Night Football to getting traded to the Browns two nights later. So let’s just say it’s been a week for the fifth-year player out of Georgia.
“It was an emotional roller coaster,” Campbell said on Friday, “but like I said before, just lean on my faith in God, prayer and leaning on him and just feeling accepted here, adjusting, getting the groove.”
The Browns acquired Campbell and a seventh-round pick from the Jaguars in exchange for cornerback Greg Newsome II and a sixth-round pick.
Campbell was picked seven picks after Newsome in the 2021 NFL Draft and it was going well for him in Jacksonville after he signed a four-year, $76.5 million extension in the summer of 2024.
Things change quickly in the NFL. The Jaguars cleaned house after the 2024 season and just five weeks into this season, they decided to swap Campbell for Newsome, who they likely saw as a better scheme fit in coordinator Anthony Campanile’s defense.
Between that and the quick turnaround of emotions this week, Campbell is becoming the poster child for the league’s unofficial “Not For Long” slogan.
“You just take it day by day, continue to lean on God, stay in prayer, read your words,” he said of going from calling Jacksonville home for the long haul to getting shipped to Cleveland 15 months after signing the extension. “That’s what I’ve been doing, just taking one day at a time. Control what I can control.”
The good news for Campbell: One team’s misfit is another team’s scheme fit.
“I’d have to say, probably wasn’t a great fit for their scheme change,” Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said on Thursday. “And he’s probably a little bit more of a scheme fit for us. He’s a good press cover guy, challenges guys on the outside part of the field. Anytime you get a change in a head coach, defensive coordinator, GM, sometimes decisions and things that they liked about a player’s skill set in a previous regime might not fit. And I think it was that opportunity here.”
Browns cornerbacks coach Brandon Lynch sees it the same way.
“What we do as far as playing press man, we really like guys that have like 32-inch arms,” he said. “Like guys that want to be in the run fit. We talk about throwing that willing word out. We want guys that want contact, seek contact, like guys that want to go get back off blocks and make the plays. And he’s one of those guys.”
Campbell takes pride in his physicality.
“It just comes from just always playing like that ever since I was little, not being scared of contact, making my presence felt and just wanting to win,” he said, “and make my 10 other teammates look good on the field. So take a lot of pride in that.”
The trade was agreed to late Wednesday night and Campbell arrived on Thursday in time to get on the practice field that day.
“I just took what I can to be ready for a couple weeks,” he said of making the move, “and then talking to people on the team about getting movers and stuff like that.”
Schwartz was confident on Thursday they would be able to get Campbell up to speed to play this week. He’s been picking the brain of Denzel Ward and, while there are certainly nuances to learn and communication to iron out, in the end the job is straightforward: Cover the man in front of you.
“A lot of it is football is football,” Campbell said, “but just learning the languages and how guys talk, with different adjustments and stuff like that.”
Circumstances have changed for Campbell, going from the 4-1 Jaguars who are tied atop the AFC South to the 1-4 Browns, whose season is teetering. It’s not all bad, though. He’s joining a defense that ranks first in total yards per play allowed and rushing yards per play allowed and is tied for fourth in passing yards allowed per game.
There are worse spots to land.
“It’s definitely exciting knowing Cleveland’s been known to pride themselves in having a dominant, physical defense,” Campbell said. “So that’s something that once you get here, you got to buy into. I’m excited to buy into it. I feel welcomed by the guys and ready to be part of the culture.”
This week, Campbell has been held up as a symbol the Browns are still trying to win. Yes, they made two trades, but sending Joe Flacco to the Bengals was a case of turning a player who wasn’t going to play into a better draft pick. Making a player-for-player trade like the one involving Campbell is a case of trying to improve an already good defense now and in the future.
All of that is for longer-term framing. The first order of business is trying to help the Browns get wins, starting this week in Pittsburgh.
“I think just having awareness of the situation you’re in and trying to fix whatever it is that can help the team win games,” he said, “whether it be our practice habits or our communication. So just trying to hone in on those and try to be helpful as that as I possibly can.”
Campbell was part of a win Monday night declaring the Jaguars’ arrival. Now he’ll try to be a part of a win six days later that could save an entirely different team’s season.
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