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Just another article:

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2018/01/browns_to_hire_alonzo_highsmit.html

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns new GM John Dorsey is wasting no time putting his stamp on the team.

He's in the process of hiring his longtime Packers personnel associate Alonzo Highsmith as a vice president in the Browns personnel department, according to multiple reports.

An NFL running back for six seasons, Highsmith just completed his 19th season as a personnel man with the Packers, where he worked with Dorsey from 2000-12.

His imminent hiring has been reported by Packers beat writer Aaron Nagler of packersnews.com, Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette and NFL Network.

He could become the No. 2 man in the personnel department behind Dorsey, who has the authority to hire and fire in the department. It remains to be seen if Highsmith will oversee Vice President of Player Personnel Andrew Berry, who was the top talent evaluator in the Sashi Brown regime.

Highsmith was hired as a scout for the Packers in 1999 by Hall of Fame executive Ron Wolf, who recommended Dorsey to Browns owner Jimmy Haslam. Both Highsmith and Dorsey have played in the NFL, which gives them a unique perspective on talent evaluation.

Highsmith was promoted to Packers senior personnel executive in May 2012 after 13 years as a scout for Green Bay, focusing on the Southwest region.

Related: Jackson to interview Texans QB coach Sean Ryan for OC job

John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reported that the Texans tried to hire Highsmith twice, but former Packers GM Ted Thompson, now the team's senior advisor to football operations, valued him so much he wouldn't let him go.

Highsmith was originally the No. 3 overall pick of the Oilers out of Miami in 1987, and was based in Houston as a Packers scout before moving to Green Bay.

He already has a strong connection to the Browns: he played on the Miami Hurricanes national championship team with Bernie Kosar.

j/c

Sounds like progress to me!

I wonder if we will move him back to his previous position which was being the Pro Scouting Coordinator? I would be more comfortable w/him in that position than I would w/him having a say in evaluating collegiate talent.

I'm guessing it is just a matter of time before most will be released. Scouts, maybe not so much, but the higher ups in the FO usually go when someone new is brought in.

It's weird. Some GM's totally clean house and some just pick and choose. It would suck to see Berry go but we already threw continuity out the window and some more glass is going to get broken.

I agree. There is a big difference between evaluating players already a pro and how they might fit your team and continue to develop and projecting college players to the pro game.

Yep, it's the same background that Ray Farmer had.

Both were dumb ass hires.

I know you don't like Hue, peen............but just watch. This team is finally on the right track. We finally have an owner, FO, and coaching staff on the same page. That's huge!

WHO time out wait a second. 95 percent of the people in the NFL were high on Farmer. I agreed with them because they know way more than my dumb ass does. Ray was a bad hire, but you can't blame that one on our front office.

Sorry bro.........I don't believe in putting a guy in charge of evaluating collegiate talent when he doesn't have experience at that particular job.

We'll have to agree to disagree.

NO problem. I am more than willing to say you were right and I was very wrong about that subject. Good job bro

That wasn't my intent, bro. We are all wrong and right at times.

Peace!

Hey it's OK I have no problem saying your right and I am wrong sometimes it happens and I am happy to learn bro

Ehhhh.......I don't like that crap, bro. I have been wrong a lot. We all have.

I just like discussing the stuff w/guys like you. There are some of us who can argue like crazy but it's never personal. That is what I like. It's fun.

I just don't like when it becomes personal. I've experienced that w/too many posters. But, never w/you......bro.

I love he fact that we can hug while telling each other to go F ourselves LOL

Bro, that is the definition of friendship.

Alonzo Highsmith leaves Packers front office to be Browns' VP of football operations
8:14 PM PT
Rob Demovsky
ESPN Staff Writer
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Alonzo Highsmith climbed the ranks of the Green Bay Packers personnel department in his 19 years with the team, but the senior personnel executive won't be in the mix for the team's vacant general manager job.

He told ESPN.com on Tuesday night that he will join the Cleveland Browns as vice president of football operations. The move reunites Highsmith with new Browns GM John Dorsey, the former Packers director of college scouting.

The 52-year-old Highsmith said he did not think he would be considered as a replacement for Packers GM Ted Thompson, who will not return in that role next season.

"We discussed so many ideas and all kinds of stuff," Highsmith said in a phone interview from Cleveland. "I was exposed to so much stuff today. That's why I thought it was as great opportunity. It feels good to go somewhere that you feel like you're trusted."

EDITOR'S PICKS

GM assigned to role as Packers senior adviser
Ted Thompson will not return as the general manager of the Green Bay Packers. Thompson will remain with the Packers as senior adviser to football operations, and the team will conduct a search for a new GM.
Highsmith on Monday was granted permission by the Packers to interview with the Browns and flew to Cleveland on Tuesday. He spent the day watching film with Dorsey and meeting with the Browns' staff, including owner Jimmy Haslam.

"This is an opportunity to build something from the ground up, having an input, working with John Dorsey, who I respect a great deal," Highsmith said. "To watch his work ethic today -- we watched film all day. He made me feel rejuvenated. It was a lot of fun today.

"I understand they've had their difficulties in the past, but I kind of feel like when I went to the University of Miami. Every recruiter from Alabama to Notre Dame to Michigan told me if you go to Miami, you'll never go to a bowl game. We became a dominant program. It kind of feels like that all over again, and that's my mindset. I've never lost, and I don't plan on losing now."

The third overall pick in the 1987 NFL draft as a running back from Miami, Highsmith worked his way up the ranks of the Packers' personnel department. Hall of Fame GM Ron Wolf hired him as a college scout in 1999, and he was promoted by Thompson to his current position in 2012. Along with Eliot Wolf and Brian Gutekunst, Highsmith was one of Thompson's top advisors.


Highsmith is best known for convincing the Packers to draft Donald Driver in the seventh round out of Alcorn State in 1999 and discovering undrafted free agent Sam Shields in 2010. Driver became the Packers' all-time leading receiver, and Shields went on to make the Pro Bowl in 2014.

"It was a great 19 years," Highsmith said. "I hope I did my part for the Packers to make them better. Now I'm gone and you know what, I won't be the last guy."

In fact, it's possible Wolf or Gutekunst -- or both -- could leave Green Bay if they don't end up as Thompson's replacement. Packers president Mark Murphy said Tuesday that he understood the risk that he could lose some of the team's top scouts if they don't get the general manager job.

"We've got some good people here and you don't want to lose 'em," Murphy said. "But I also think the most important thing is getting the right person.

I think this is a significant hire for the Browns. Our FO is looking good. But man, I can't believe Highsmith is that old. Seems like he was playing just a few years ago.

Nice. I like this. Hope Berry is retained as well.

And I hope this signals the end of the Barkley talk.

The most critical characteristic Alonzo brings to the Browns front office...19 yrs of "NFL experience" and that experience being with the Packers.

Highsmith's Packers bio below...

link

Green Bay Packers: Alonzo Highsmith


BIOGRAPHY
An NFL player for six seasons, Alonzo Highsmith enters his 19th year with the Green Bay Packers’ personnel department. He was promoted to senior personnel executive in May 2012 after 13 years on the Packers’ college scouting staff, where he maintained primary responsibility for the Southwest region.

First named as a college scout on Feb. 1, 1999, by then-Executive Vice President/General Manager Ron Wolf, Highsmith originally had entered the professional ranks as the No. 3 overall pick in the 1987 NFL Draft by the then-Houston Oilers, behind only college teammate Vinny Testaverde (Tampa Bay) and Cornelius Bennett (Indianapolis).

Highsmith began his pro career by playing three seasons in Houston (1987-89), starting 40 straight games with the Oilers. Following offseason knee surgery, he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys prior to the 1990 campaign.

Highsmith was with Dallas for 1½ seasons before being waived by the Cowboys on Oct. 4, 1991. Claimed by Tampa Bay, he spent the remainder of his pro career with the Buccaneers. Due to a series of knee injuries, he retired from the NFL at the end of the 1992 season.

Highsmith’s NFL totals included 65 games played with 283 rushing attempts for 1,195 yards (4.2 avg.) and seven touchdowns. He also made 42 receptions for 428 yards (10.2 avg.) and three TDs during the course of his pro career. After the conclusion of Highsmith’s NFL career in 1992, he turned his sights to boxing. As a professional boxer, he competed as a heavyweight across the country, compiling a 27-1-1 career record over a four-year period.

Earlier a four-time letterman (1983-86) for the University of Miami (Fla.), Highsmith was a member of the 1983 Hurricanes squad that captured the collegiate national championship with a 31-30 triumph over Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. As a sophomore in 1984, he led Miami in rushing with 906 yards on 146 carries (6.2 avg.), and repeated that feat during his senior season, gaining 442 yards on 105 attempts (4.2 avg.). Highsmith graduated in 1987 with a degree in business administration.

Highsmith was the Florida High School Defensive Player of the Year in 1982 as a linebacker at Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, where he was a teammate of former Alabama head coach and current Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Mike Shula. A three-time letterwinner for the school’s basketball team as a guard, Highsmith also competed in the 100- and 200-meter races in track for three years.

Highsmith resides in Green Bay. He and his wife, Denise, are the parents of three children, Alonzo, 27, A.J., 26, and Jordan, 23. Highsmith has two other children, Jasmine, 31, and Brandon, 29. Brandon (Thermilus) played collegiately as a running back at the University at Buffalo, Alonzo was a collegiate linebacker at the University of Arkansas, A.J. ended his college career as a defensive back at the University of Miami and is currently a scout for the San Francisco 49ers, and Jordan recently finished her collegiate career as a track and field student-athlete at Samford University.

Curious....

Why would this end the Barkley talk?

I was wondering the same thing.

While I didn't post that, I would say that it may lessen the Barkley talk.

It seems a pretty popular theme these days that football people don't value the RB nearly as high as they used to. People are finding very productive RB's at quite a value these days. And when you look at it in dollars and cents it makes even better logic.

QB's, CB, and LT's have some of the highest contracts in the league. Their value is very high. So are defensive pressure guys. Their talent is far more rare and hard to come by and costs a lot more money. The costs of their contracts reflect that.

That's why you see these guys sought out more highly in the draft than RB's these days. Now if someone thinks he has the on field talent of Zeke, he may go that high. But otherwise, talk will dwindle. At least in NFL circles.

Did Jimmy Garoppolo affect Browns' front-office change?

http://www.espn.com/blog/cleveland-brown...t-office-change

Pat McManamonESPN Staff Writer

The saga of Jimmy Garoppolo might tell more about the Cleveland Browns than first indicated.

As the Browns continue to search for a quarterback, the San Francisco 49ers are gushing over the fact that they have him. His late-season play changed everything about a struggling team, and showed the importance of finding the right quarterback.

The Browns can point to DeShone Kizer and the draft as possible solutions, but the question remains: Why didn’t the Browns acquire Garoppolo when the New England Patriots traded him midseason?

There might be no clear answer.

But there are clear perceptions -- and those perceptions certainly point to the trade deadline as one factor in why Browns owner Jimmy Haslam made a front-office change to John Dorsey in December. In Haslam’s mind, the setup he created with Sashi Brown as vice president of football operations and Hue Jackson as coach could no longer exist.

The Garoppolo saga might be an indicator why.

In the offseason, the Browns inquired often about trading for Garoppolo, and left the many phone calls and discussions with the Patriots believing Bill Belichick would not trade him.

The Browns were convinced that Belichick felt he had to have Garoppolo as an insurance policy in case Tom Brady, 40, got injured.

But as the trade deadline approached, Garoppolo -- a guy Belichick drafted in the second round -- was suddenly shipped to San Francisco.

The deal was a surprise to the NFL. That it wasn’t the Browns pulling the trigger on the deal was puzzling, but what made it worse was that the 49ers gave up only a second-round draft pick. With two first-round picks, the Browns could have easily offered more for Garoppolo.

A lengthy analysis of the Patriots' situation related to Belichick, Brady and owner Robert Kraft from ESPN’s Seth Wickersham reports that Belichick more or less decided he would deal with Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers:

“One morning in late October, Belichick texted San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and asked him to call. Belichick had long admired Kyle's father, Mike, who not only had been one of the NFL's smartest tacticians but had also personally defended Belichick to commissioner Roger Goodell during the Spygate scandal. At the combine this past February, Kyle, weeks into the 49ers job after being the offensive coordinator for the Falcons, met with Belichick for hours to learn from his team's humiliating Super Bowl loss. Belichick believed that Garoppolo would excel under Shanahan, and when he and Shanahan connected on the phone, Belichick offered the quarterback for a second-rounder.”

To hear this tale, Belichick never considered the Browns. The story makes it sound as if, in a fit of pique over being told by Kraft to trade Garoppolo, Belichick followed orders and traded with the person he wanted, not with the team that could give him the best offer.

The Browns have never commented publicly, but the team felt Belichick wanted nothing to do with the Browns and sending Garoppolo to Cleveland. The reason gets to a lot of speculation.

One factor ESPN’s Chris Mortensen has reported is that Garoppolo’s agent, Don Yee, made it clear Garoppolo would not sign a long-term contract with the Browns. However, an agent and player have only so much control in this situation. Any team that acquired Garoppolo would merely have to apply the franchise tag to keep him, and the Browns had the cap room to do just that.

If it was evident to Belichick that Garoppolo did not want to join a losing -- and bad -- situation in Cleveland, he might have gone along with the player’s desire. Trading with San Francisco also resulted in Belichick getting a needed backup he knew in Brian Hoyer, something the Browns could not provide.

The Browns’ front office also believed that Belichick retains lingering resentment over how he was treated in Cleveland and would not deal with the Browns. But that certainly did not come into play when the Browns acquired Jamie Collins from the Patriots in 2016.

Another factor is that Belichick knew how good Garoppolo could be and wanted him out of the AFC.

Except the Browns could have offered a draft choice that has turned out to be the No. 4 pick in the draft, and the Patriots would have been better served.

The view of the coaching staff in Cleveland -- a staff desperate for a win -- was that, if a team wants to trade for a guy, it has to make it happen, not sit back and wait for it to happen.

The Browns were aggressive in the offseason but were blindsided by this trade during the season. They were in touch with the Patriots, but not to the point that Belichick called them when he was told to trade Garoppolo, a player he had staunchly fought against trading for months.

Cleveland's coaching staff felt that being proactive could have had the Browns in a position to make a better offer. If you want a guy, you have to go get him.

The front office would say: We had no chance to get him. Belichick dealt only with the 49ers. And we had no reason to believe he had changed his mind about not trading him.

That Belichick wound up trading Garoppolo to Shanahan has to be another bitter pill for the Browns to accept. Shanahan was with the Browns for one season, was involved in the Ray Farmer texting situation, lived through Johnny Manziel and was allowed out of his contract in Cleveland by Haslam after he made several points why he wanted out. Now it’s Shanahan who has the quarterback the Browns wanted?

The ramifications were easily evident. Shaken that a quarterback they wanted was in San Francisco, the Browns made a move to acquire Cincinnati Bengals backup AJ McCarron -- and offered the Bengals more for McCarron than the 49ers gave for Garoppolo.

Then they didn’t get the paperwork submitted in time. And became the subject of national ridicule.

That happened on Oct. 31.

Haslam hired Dorsey on Dec. 7 to replace Brown. When he did, Haslam said the trade deadline machinations had nothing to do with the move. But he also said that he had started talking to candidates to replace Brown about four weeks before the hire.

One week after the trade deadline.

To think that if we would have had a real football guy who would have been willing to listen to Hue, our qb situation would have been solved by trading for Jimmy G.

Can you imagine how great our draft would look if we didn't have to address the qb position had Sashi would have traded for Jimmy G?

LOL, got that Sashi jab in there proactively! Now when someone points out that Hue got Sashi fired for no reason, are you going to still chastise them for doing the exact same thing that you are doing right now? Just remember in the not so distant future when Hue no longer has a job that this moment in time where he got Sashi fired started the ball rolling to his own demise.

Hue is now top of the scapegoat list.

I don't try and trick anyone, Dep. I think Sashi wasn't qualified for the job. He was a financial lawyer and had no business making personnel decisions.

I bashed Hue long before any of you did. I don't think he is perfect. However, when watched what transpired in regards to roster decisions, it was apparent to me that Sashi was by far more responsible for our poor record than Hue was.

That's my opinion. Doesn't mean it is right. It is just my opinion. And if I have to read dozens of posts each day that contradict that opinion, perhaps it shouldn't be out of line that you guys have to read my opinion. Yes? No?

You are entitled to your opinion Vers. You just don't seem to want to allow people upset with Hue after an 0-16 season the same courtesy.

The very next post that I read from you was going after someone else for having a negative opinion on Hue. It didn't take long.

I point this out not to get into a fight. I point this out so hopefully you'll see it.

I don't care if you bash Sashi every day of the week, but to do that and then berate the Hue bashers is hypocrisy at best.

Okay Dep. I am unfair and guys like you, device, Vambo, rasta, etc are all very objective.

What about those that think both Hue and Sashi were responsible for the historic losing record? Are they objective?

Yes, of course. Again, why do you ask?

It doesn't seem like it.

Doesn't seem like what?

Are you asking me a legitimate question or are you trying to pick yet another fight?

I'm on record blaming everyone team, coaches, staff, FO and Owners...

It should still be in the K9 Thread.

No, I wanted to know if you felt Hue had any blame in his 1-31 record, and it sure didn't seem like it the way you're posting and trying to call out anyone that feels he's responsible for his record. I don't see any reason that Hue deserves another season, and I think Sashi getting the axe was the right move. They both played major roles in this historic fiasco.

Do you want me to repeat it again? I am assuming so.

Yes, Hue deserves blame.

I actually hate that Hue is going to soon be fired because that will probably mean a new offensive system and a longer set-back.

It is what it is though. Fans are still upset and now that Sashi is gone Hue's head is the one that everyone wants.

Hue did it to himself. When he got Sashi fired, he got rid of his own job security. He is at the top of the scapegoat list now.

When you read about that parade tomorrow, you are going to read a ton of fire Hue quotes. Ticket sales are to the point where Jimmy is going to take some action.

I think that is why we aren't coaching the senior bowl. I think Dorsey is unsure if we'll have a head coach at the end of the month. He knows we'll have a different by around week 4 or 5 of the season. Despite all of the new talent we have ammo for, they will take some time to gel and fans won't be willing to give them that time anymore. Unfortunately for Hue, he's dug his own grave.

That is my opinion. I think Hue had just as big a role in this fiasco as Sashi so fire both and let Dorsey hire the guy he likes best.

I think that Sashi hurt the team in this regard:

We wanted to compete, but he cut, or failed to re-sign every veteran player. Poyer might have helped at FS this year. Bademosi would have helped on special teams. Haden would probably wold have helped at CB. Maybe Osweiller might have helped at QB. Greco might have helped on the OL. Who knows? We got rid of almost every veteran over a certain age on the team. Over half the team had 3 or fewer years of experience. What does that tell the team? It seems to me that it says that we are not playing to win this year. That almost has to affect the players. They watch veterans, who have played in this league, being shipped out left and right, and they have to see a roster purge, just like us fans do.

Now I happened to agree with some of the moves Sashi made, but man, he definitely took it to extremes. That's a big reason why the team struggled so much. Sashi emptied the cupboard. He dumped Haden when it sure seemed as though none of the coaches were on board with that more. I bet there were other moves made that put a wedge between the coaches and the front office.

I believe that Hue had a part. He struggled "doing it all", and would have benefited from having a play caller, so he could see the whole game. I think that it's a very rare coach who can successfully call plays and oversee the entire team, at at the same time. I don't think that Hue is one who can do so. He needs to step away from the minutia, so he can see the overall picture. I hope that we hire an offensive coordinator/play caller ... and a new QB coach. High quality coaches at those 2 positions would really free up Hue to be the head coach.