DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Browns snag Alonzo Highsmith

Browns to hire Alonzo Highsmith as a personnel VP, reunited with John Dorsey
Updated January 2, 2018 at 11:40 PM; Posted January 2, 2018 at 4:09 PM
Alonzo Highsmith on Selection of Vince Biegel
277 shares

By Mary Kay Cabot, cleveland.com

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

He hired his longtime Packers personnel associate Alonzo Highsmith as a vice president in the Browns personnel department.

The Browns have yet to announce it or even confirm the interview but Highsmith announced it on Twitter Tuesday night.

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.

ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky spoke to Highsmith and reported that the exact title is VP of Football Operations.

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

Highsmith said he didn't think he'd get an interview for the GM vacancy in Green Bay, which came open when GM Ted Thompson transitioned to a senior advisor.

"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."

If VP of Football Operations is the right title, he'll likely be the No. 2 man in the 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 Thompson 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.
Link

For the last decade I have heard Highsmith's name mentioned as the next big GM but he never had an opportunity. This is a huge steal for Dorsey and deserved its own thread.

Sounds like a good hire. Maybe, just maybe, we are finally moving in the right direction.

I hope he is as good at being a VP as he was as a RB ...

I am really interested to see how this new front office winds up working.

Dodesta, Hue, and Dorsey and all reporting to Haslam. Under Dorsey, we have Highsmith and Berry. WE also have Ken Kovach with the same title as Berry, then Grigsoon slotted in below them.

Seems like a lot of cooks.

It won't be for long.

side note: Is Green Bay going to face any punishment for placing Rodgers on IR and violating some asinine NFL rule? A forfeited draft pick perhaps?

probably just a fine. half a mil for rules violation.

i'll reserve judgment until after the end of the 2018 season.

well, at least we're going with football guys

I'm betting some of those folks could be gone and further, I'm betting some titles will change..

This is a great hire.

I'm most certainly impressed with the hiring of Dorsey and now Highsmith.

People with great experience and resumes' in football.

I see an NFL FO much the same as I see it with players. If a player isn't performing up to the expectation you have and you get an opportunity to upgrade, you upgrade.

It is getting crowded at the top of the ladder.

Dorsey made my heart throb with this signing. I love Highsmith's background, and everything I've seen said about him in Green Bay.

To get Dorsey and Highsmith, Haslam deserves a lot of credit. He took the world of heat for not valuing "football guys" but responded by getting two of the finest in the business.

This guy is very highly regarded. That is good. I will remain skeptical of any move as long as Jimmy Haslam is involved.

If it’s a good move, smart money is on Haslem not being involved.

j/c:

The Browns are on the right track. They are making good moves.

Kind of how I feel... like the hire but I've liked a lot of hires...

When your team goes 4-44 in 3 years we have a right to be skeptical ...

Aww the ole Vice President of football operations, or is it vice president of personel.

I wonder if John Dorsey and Highsmith, and these new guys realize we as fans have seen this process start and finish 8 times before, Since 1999, and anything they say or do we have a right to be skeptical of, because the results have been less than winning in the past.

A Chance to build from the ground up? oh Boy!! I know what that means, it means turnover of names you hold dear if you've followed along and have any belief that things are in the right place and just need time to gel.

When we see cuts of players in a group that is just learning how to work together we aren't getting better we are just getting strung along and fed another line of kool-aid.

Wish him all the best, just like all the others, and the other others, and the other other others.

TL But you want to get rid of the coach! That's hypocrite. Because that is 100% reason everything is a turnover if you change the coach, you can't argue for continuity or the "group".

Well Ya! But, I want to see the current group win because you can see talent there and opportunity but if it's there and the coach can't win even a little bit, then, (well wait, he's gonna win this time, NO he's not) for another long stretch of losing

So the coach has gotta be the problem if you believe in the group then why isn't the coach helping them out
Why can't they win even one time somethings wrong.

Going to try to avoid this whole thing until they get it worked out.

LOL..........dude! Do you and Josh Gordon hang out a lot?

Yeah, right. Lordy.

Wow! Did you just have a conversation with yourself?

I like this hire too, however, I need evidence before I get overly excited. I remember we all said the same thing about Holmgren when he was hired ("finally moving in the right direction"), only to be sorely disappointed. But, on paper this is a good hire.

Yup,,. That's why I think more changes will be coming