Decisions made on Browns RFA’s Briean Boddy-Calhoun, Rashard Higgins

Indianapolis, IN (92.3 The Fan) – The Browns have decided what their plans will be for restricted free agents Briean Boddy-Calhoun and Rashard Higgins general manager John Dorsey said Thursday.

“I know which tenders we’re going to do with both of them,” Dorsey said.

The team later clarified Dorsey’s remarks in which he meant to convey that a decision had been made regarding both players, but he did not want to indicate specifically which one or both will actually receive a tender or the level of the tender that might be offered.

Dorsey and the Browns have until the start of the new league year at 4 p.m. on March 13 to submit qualifying offers to restricted free agents with an expiring contract to retain a right of first refusal/compensation designation for each player.

Boddy-Calhoun, claimed off waivers from Jacksonville in Sept. 2016, has appeared in 43 games, 21 starts over three seasons with the Browns where he has totaled 128 tackles, a sack, three interceptions (which came his rookie season), 19 pass breakups and a forced fumble.  

Higgins registered career-highs in touchdown receptions, catches and yards this past season, his third since being selected in the fifth round – No. 172 overall – in the 2016 NFL Draft. He caught 39 passes for 572 yards and four touchdowns this past season.  

The Browns would also like to extend the contract of safety Damarious Randall, acquired last March from Green Bay.

Randall returned to his natural safety position with the Browns where he collected four interceptions, broke up nine passes and recovered a fumble in addition to racking up 71 tackles in 2018.

Linebacker Joe Schobert, a 2017 Pro Bowler, could also be in line for an extension but Dorsey and the Browns would like to find ways to upgrade and increase the production from their linebacking corps.

Call me, maybe – Dorsey was asked about the Browns’ interest in pursuing receivers Antonio Brown of the Steelers and Odell Beckham Jr. of the Giants Thursday.

“I'm not going to talk about another team's players, but, Kevin, if you're out there, here's my cell phone right here,” Dorsey said, referring to Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert, who said Wednesday he’d be open to a trade within the division so long as the compensation makes such a deal worth it.

When asked about Beckham, Dorsey’s response was similar.

“Well, Dave [Gettleman], here's my cell phone over here,” Dorsey quipped with a smile as he held his phone back up.

While some believe that the Browns need that big name, X receiver, Dorsey isn’t buying it, at least publicly.

“I'll take 53 really good football players. OK? I will,” Dorsey said. “And I think you can't have enough of those guys in football.”

Need for speed – One of the underlying themes with the players Dorsey has added since taking over as general manager is speed.

“I love speed,” Dorsey said. “The more team speed you have, the better. If you can get more team speed, I'm all for it.”

It is a theme you’ll continue to see him follow as he adds talent and depth across the board this offseason.  

“I think we're getting better, and I think we will continue to get better,” Dorsey said. “I think it shows on all three sides of offense, defense and special teams. I think you can't have enough because the game has changed because not only has it gone horizontal but it's also gone vertical, too. So you can see at different positions it's a game of speed.”

AAF, XFL impact – Dorsey and the Browns are paying attention to two new football leagues – The Alliance of American Football, which began play earlier this month, and the XFL, which is scheduled for a re-launch next year.

“We're going to turn over every stone, and if there's a player in that respective league that can help this organization, we'll make sure we try to find them,” Dorsey said.

Chh-changes – The departure of Andrew Berry to Philadelphia leaves a hole in the front office, or maybe not.

Dorsey did not sound like he is in much of a hurry to replace Berry, who had been one of three vice presidents of player personnel along with Alonzo Highsmth and Ken Kovash.

“I think right now we have some really talented guys within that building and we’re all working together in unison and that’s what you want,” Dorsey said. “You want the coaching staff and the personnel staff to be working in unison and have that degree of trust. And the coaches trust that the personnel guys will get them the [players] and the personnel guys will trust that those coaches are coaching those guys up.”

In addition to the departure of Berry, who is now the vice president of football operations for the Eagles, former Washington general manager Scot McCloughan is no longer working with the team Dorsey said.

McCloughan served in a consulting capacity last year.