Gustin, whose interception aided playoff win, to return
Defensive end Porter Gustin and tight end Stephen Carlson will be back with the Browns.
Both were tendered as exclusive rights free agents, the team announced Friday.
Exclusive rights free agents are not permitted to negotiate with another team once they are tendered. That means Gustin and Carlson will each be on a one-year contract worth $850,000 and eligible for restricted free agency in March 2022.
Gustin, 24, has been with the Browns since they signed him midway through the 2019 season. He appeared in 14 games with three starts and had 28 tackles in the 2020 regular season.
He had an interception Jan. 10 in the 48-37 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
Carlson, 24, joined the Browns as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2019. He appeared in 16 games with two starts in the 2020 regular season. He caught one pass for 11 yards and had nine special teams tackles. He recovered an onside kick
Jan. 3 to seal the Browns’ 24-22 playoff-clinching win over the Steelers.
According to the NFL Players Association, the Browns have two other players eligible to become exclusive rights free agents: guard Michael Dunn and defensive end George Obinna.
They have three players eligible for restricted free agency: cornerback Tavierre Thomas, wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge and linebacker Tae Davis.
NFL Network reported Friday the Browns don’t plan to tender Thomas, who received some playing time last season as a replacement nickelback and finished second on the club with 11 special teams tackles.
The Browns have 16 players scheduled to become unrestricted free agents when free agency officially kicks off at 4 p.m. March 17.
The list is headlined by cornerback Terrance Mitchell, receiver Rashard Higgins, defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, defensive end Olivier Vernon, linebackers B.J. Goodson and Malcolm Smith, safeties Karl Joseph and Andrew Sendejo, nickelback Kevin Johnson and kicker Cody Parkey.