Tag: Stephen Carlson

Browns extend tender offer to exclusive rights free agents Porter Gustin, Stephen Carlson

3 other ERFAs have yet to get offers from the Browns

The Cleveland Browns have formally extended the contract tender offers to two of their exclusive rights free agents. Defensive end Porter Gustin and tight end Stephen Carlson will be back with the Browns in 2021.

Gustin figured prominently in the DE rotation at times during the 2020 season and picked off Ben Roethlisberger in the Browns’ wild-card romp over the Steelers. He started three games and managed 28 total tackles. Carlson was one of Cleveland’s top special teams players and saw action in all 16 games as the No. 4 tight end.

The team did not yet offer extensions to the other exclusive rights free agents, or ERFAs. Those are offensive linemen Michael Dunn and Colby Gossett and defensive end George Obinna. If the team does not make them tender offers before the March 17th deadline, they will become unrestricted free agents free to sign with any team.

ERFAs are players with less than two years of accrued NFL experience with expiring contracts. Teams can offer them the league minimum for their position for one year. The players can either accept the offer or they must sit out the season.

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Browns’ unofficial depth chart for Week 13

Browns’ unofficial depth chart for Week 13 vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers

The Cleveland Browns released their unofficial depth chart for the Week 13 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This week’s edition features a couple of interesting wrinkles.

First, rookie offensive lineman Drew Forbes makes an appearance as the backup left guard behind starter Joel Bitonio. Forbes has still yet to play in a game for the Browns since being activated off injured reserve.

At tight end, rookie Stephen Carlson is listed ahead of Pharaoh Brown on the depth chart. That reflects the reality of late, but it’s still interesting to see the movement after Brown’s injury earlier this year. Carlson caught his first career pass–a touchdown reception–in the first meeting with the Steelers in Week 11.

Olivier Vernon remains listed with an injury designation at one of the starting DE spots. We’ll know more about his status for the Steelers game later this week.