Cornerback Greg Newsome II

Q. When you looked at the Giants, what attracted you about this team and (head coach) John Harbaugh, and just kind of how you fit in with this group here?

GREG NEWSOME II: Yeah, first I just feel like this is an up-and-coming team. Just watching them last year, starting with the quarterback position, having a young quarterback, he's got energy. He was growing tremendously last year, so that was something that I wanted to be a part of. Then obviously the D-line. Like, we've got a lot of guys on that front that can rush the passer, can do a lot of great things. The secondary, we're all pretty young, and got a lot of potential. That was something that really intrigued me and then obviously I had a lot of battles with Coach Harbaugh in the AFC North, so when I (saw) him having this opportunity to come here, this was one of my first places I wanted to be.

Q. You mentioned those battles. What were those like just reflecting on that and how fun with really worried will it be to be on the other side of those battles?

GREG NEWSOME II: It was fun. We were talking about it yesterday. It was a lot of close battles. It was always a hard-nosed game. That's the type of person he is, that's the type of team that we're going to be a part of this year. That was something I was definitely super excited about.

Q. Last year, how challenging was it when you look back on it to kind of find a groove when you're in one system, then you end up getting traded, you go to another system, kind of bouncing around a little bit. Take me through that and how much are you looking forward to just kind of starting fresh this year with a new coach, a new system, and where you can take your game?

GREG NEWSOME II: Yeah, I think it was definitely hard, but it was something that was needed. Everything isn't going to be peaches and cream in this business as we all know. Things can happen all the time. But obviously like you said, being somewhere for four years – four and a half years – being comfortable, I thought I started off the season on a very high note. To then get traded to a new place, it was definitely challenging to adjust. I've got to learn the teammates, the schemes, and everything like that. It was definitely challenging, but I tried to make the most of my opportunity and it led me here, so I'm excited now to be here.

Q. What's the scouting report on your game from you? We hear a lot of people and as soon as someone sees a new player sign it's, 'well tell me about them, tell me about them.' What would you say about your game and where you're at and where you need to improve on to have the impact that you think you can?

GREG NEWSOME II: With my game, my strong suit I think is playing press man coverage. That was something that we did in Cleveland all the time was playing man-to-man, getting in people's face and challenging guys. So that's where I feel like my strong suit is. Improvement, I feel like all of my game can improve. If you're not trying to improve on everything, then you're not trying to be a great player. I think just improving on all – press, everything, I feel like there's always something that I can get better at.

Q. Can you take us back through the start of this week, I don't know if you got signed Monday or Tuesday. What was that experience like and how did you land on a one-year deal?

GREG NEWSOME II: Well, to start the week off, I'm getting married soon, so I was handling all of my wedding planning. That's what I was doing. The week was going by, I talked to my agent, kind of let him do everything, and there (were) obviously a few teams. This was one of the most important teams for me to go to. I just felt like from leaving Cleveland to going to Jacksonville, I didn't finish the way that I wanted to, so I assumed that this could be a possibility to sign a one year. I'm excited to be here. I feel like this is an opportunity for me to be here long-term. There (were) other places that could have had a little bit (of a) longer term deal, but I wanted to be here, and I wanted to showcase myself in front of the New York fan base and my coaches and players. I'm excited to start fresh here now and hopefully we get something done where I can retire a Giant, because that's what I want to do.

Q. (Defensive coordinator) Dennard Wilson is new to us. Curious how much you dug into his scheme, what are your first impressions of the defense you're stepping into?

GREG NEWSOME II: Aggressive. I like it. Talked to him a little bit, and that's how he's going to play. We're going to be aggressive, and that's how I like playing. We talked a little about it, not too much, (I) just got in the door, but I'm super excited to be a part of his defense.

Q. Do you know anybody here, like obviously you knew Harbaugh from across enemy lines, but like all these coaches are new to us, did you have a relationship with any of them, had you played for them anywhere, Cleveland or Jacksonville or any of these teammates that you're buddies with that recruited you here?

GREG NEWSOME II: Coaches, no. Just obviously playing against Harbaugh. Players, I know a lot of the guys from the Ravens, (fullback Patrick) Ricard and (tight end) Isaiah Likely, a lot of those guys. (Safety) Tyler Nubin, he's another Illinois guy, so I grew up with him. Me, (cornerback) Paulson (Adebo), (safety) Jevon (Holland), we all came in together. I know them as well. I've kind of got a good mix of guys that I know already.

Q. What did they tell you about like, look, this is what media people and fans do. (Cornerback) Cor'Dale Flott left, so there's an opening. As a starter what did they tell you about your role, do they expect you to compete for that, do you expect to compete for that, how do you look at playing time and the idea that you could be the starter opposite Paulson?

GREG NEWSOME II: Yeah, for me, man, I'm the ultimate team guy. Obviously, everyone wants to be a starter, and that's my expectation is to try to work as hard as I can to become the starter. But it's early right now, it's March. We've got to, my goal right now is to get all the guys together, build this team, build this locker room. And then when training camp and all that stuff happens, that's when depth chart things will be made. But right now, it's just to integrate myself with this team now and just trying to continue to build this culture.

Q. Early in your career you had a lot of success, I think you even won like the Browns Rookie Training Camp Award or something like that. When you were at your best early in your career what was the key and how do you get back to that?

GREG NEWSOME II: Yeah, I think it's just mindset. It's mindset first, just being comfortable somewhere, somewhere where I know that I'm wanted, where I want to be at. I think that's the beginning. I know I can get back to that form. Like I said, I felt like earlier last season I was back to that form, so I'm super excited to just start here fresh, knowing I'm going to be here, I'm super excited to finish an entire season with one team now.

Q. I know over your career you played in the slot, you've also played on the perimeter. Just wondering in terms of your skillset, I know you said you'll play wherever they ask you to, but where do you see yourself as the best fit?

GREG NEWSOME II: Yeah, I think I'm best outside, but I feel like you said, just doing everything, I feel like my versatility is that I can do a lot of things very well. I like playing outside, I also like playing inside as well. It's kind of, you know, I could do a lot, like I said. So it kind of just depends on whatever the scheme is, what the team needs me to do for that particular game, for that season, or whatever coach needs me to do.

Q. You're one of the taller cornerbacks, and teams now days, when they line up a slot receiver, they're usually lining up a bigger guy. Do you feel like you have an advantage if they ask you to go into the slot in terms of the physicality that is required to face those bigger guys?

GREG NEWSOME II: For sure. Like I said, I think that's one of the things early in my career, being able to go inside, go outside, do a lot of those things, I feel like now I am comfortable doing both, going against the smaller quicker guys and also going against the bigger guys in the slot. Being able to get in the run fit and things like that. I think that I definitely have an advantage in there as well too.