Alex Mack - Pro Football Rumors

Latest On Jaguars, Alex Mack

April 5th, 2014 at 6:00pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars and center Alex Mack met last night and it may not be long before Jacksonville extends an offer sheet to the restricted free agent. League sources tell Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer that if both sides feel it’s a good fit, the Jaguars will make a pitch to take the Pro Bowler away from the Browns. Meanwhile, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (via Dan Hanzus of NFL.com) hears from a pair of sources that the two sides continue to talk about a potential deal.

Jacksonville has a significant void at center following the exit Brad Meester, who retired after 14 seasons with the team. Mack, 28, represents the very best available option at the position and would fortify the Jaguars’ offensive line for 2014 and beyond. By the same token, losing Mack would leave the Browns with a sizable hole in the middle. If Mack signs an offer sheet with the Jags, or any other club, Cleveland will have five days to match.

As the Browns’ transition player, Mack would make a little more than $10MM in 2014 if he stays put. The Browns could have kept him out of reach from other clubs with the franchise tag, but that would have called for a $11.6MM salary in ’14. The Browns have an estimated ~$31MM of cap space which should give them the financial flexibility to match an offer sheet.

AFC Notes: Mack, Burleson, Draft

April 5th, 2014 at 4:22pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Jaguars have met with free agent center Alex Mack, reports BigCatCountry.com (via Twitter). Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 confirms that Mack has already visited with the team (via Twitter).

Mack received the transition tag from the Browns earlier this offseason, which gives the Browns the right to match any offer.

Here are some other notes from around the AFC:

The Browns have hosted former Lion Nate Burleson, according Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (via Twitter). Burleson, 32, had 191 catches between 2009 and 2011, but struggled to stay on the field the past two seasons.
The Titans brought in West Virginia running back Charles Sims for a visit, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter). With uncertainty at the position without Chris Johnson, the team is looking for long-term answers at the position.
Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle was taking Raiders questions on Twitter, and discussed if the recent signings of Jacoby Ford and DeSean Jackson would push the team to choose Clemson’s Sammy Watkins with the fifth pick in the draft. Tafur believes that Watkins and Kalil Mack of Buffalo are both in play for the Raiders.

Extra Points: Browns, Latimer, Dolphins

March 30th, 2014 at 11:56am CST by Rory Parks

It is typically true that a poor showing during an NFL prospect’s pro day is a great deal more noteworthy than a strong one. After all, pro days are arranged to optimize performance, with familiar conditions, familiar targets, etc. So when Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater delivered an underwhelming audition at his pro day, it created a bit of a stir among national writers who were suddenly more quick to point out his faults than his strengths.

In a recent mailbag, Tony Grossi of ESPN.com expressed his belief that the Browns will not only pass on Bridgewater with their No. 4 overall pick, but with their No. 26 overall pick as well. Instead, Grossi projects the Browns to take Clemson WR Sammy Watkins with the fourth pick in the draft (although he does tweet that the Browns have to consider a QB in the first three rounds). Now for some more notes around the league:

Despite using the transition tag, rather than the franchise tag, on free agent center Alex Mack, the Browns seem to have kept him off the market just the same. Grossi tweets that Mack has not received offers from any other club.
Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer looks at five positions the Panthers need to address in the rest of the offseason, beginning with a No. 1 wideout.
Indiana WR Cody Latimer has a private visit scheduled with the Ravens and Seahawks, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Latimer is considered a rising prospect and caught 72 passes for 1,096 yards and nine touchdowns last season. As we saw in a piece that our Luke Adams wrote on Thursday, Latimer will be a very busy young man, with at least seven teams having scheduled a visit with him.
Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel put together a very detailed mailbag post, beginning with an examination of what the Dolphins might do if one of the top QB prospects falls to them with the No. 19 overall pick in the draft.

AFC South Notes: Draft, Jackson, Nicks, Mack

March 29th, 2014 at 2:28pm CST by Rob DiRe

While the Titans may not be committed to Jake Locker as their quarterback of the future, the team is unlikely to consider the position with their first-round pick, writes Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. Even if the Titans were to have their choice between Teddy Bridgewater, Blake Bortles, and Johnny Manziel, Kuharsky believes none of those three would be in the top 11 on their board anyway. The team is much more likely to see what it has in Locker, and possibly look for a quarterback later in the draft to serve as a backup or eventual replacement option down the road.

Here are some other notes from the AFC South:

Kuharsky also writes that although Mike Evans (wide receiver out of Texas A&M) could be the best player available when the Titans are called up on draft day, the team would be hesitant to take him due to their depth at the position. The team sees Kendall Wright, Justin Hunter, Nate Washington, and Dexter McCluster as a strong group, and may be reluctant to add to it with such a high draft pick.
The Colts will not have any interest in the recently released DeSean Jackson, writes Mike Wells of ESPN.com. The team may have considered him had they not already added Hakeem Nicks earlier this offseason.
Speaking about Nicks’ long term future, Wells wrote that if he succeeds this year, he could see the Colts giving him a long-term extension to keep him as one of Andrew Luck‘s weapons going forward, joining him with T.Y. Hilton, Coby Fleener, and Dwayne Allen.
While Alex Mack still remains a possibiliy, the Colts are not expected to make him a substantial offer, writes Wells. He believes the team is comfortable entering the season with Phil Costa and Khaled Holmes competing to start at center.
Despite notions that the Texans might be willing to move down in the draft, Daniel Kim of NFL.com writes that currently Jadeveon Clowney is the favorite if they keep the first overall pick. NFL Network’s Kurt Warner says that Clowney is still a better option than Manziel, and Kim notes that four out of six NFL.com mock drafts have the Texans taking the pass rusher.

Browns GM Talks Haden, QBs, FAs, Mack

March 24th, 2014 at 9:48am CST by Luke Adams

Appearing at the NFL’s owner meetings in Orlando, Browns GM Ray Farmer answered several questions from reporters today, including Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal and Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Here’s a round-up of some of the highlights, with Twitter links via Ulrich and Cabot:

After cornerback Joe Haden fueled speculation by tweeting “It’s a crazy business” last night, Farmer insisted that the team has no interest in trading Haden, and would like to keep him in Cleveland for a long time.
Farmer defended the team’s decision not to attend the Pro Days of top quarterback prospects like Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater, and Johnny Manziel by arguing that those days are “scripted” and saying that the Browns’ absence keeps teams guessing about Cleveland’s intentions. The general manager added that he’s “not leaning in any direction” with the No. 4 pick in the draft.
Farmer believes Cleveland will have opportunities to trade up or down in the draft, and confirmed that discussions about those possibilities are already underway.
Asked if the Browns have interest in Mark Sanchez, Farmer said the team would be interested in “anyone who can help us win,” though he didn’t say whether Sanchez was one such player. For now, the GM says he’s comfortable with Brian Hoyer, and that Hoyer’s competition could come from anywhere, including a player in the draft.
Farmer confirmed that the Browns had interest in Matt Schaub before Houston sent him to the Raiders.
According to Ulrich, Farmer paused for a few seconds when asked where the Browns stood with offensive lineman Paul McQuistan and defensive end Alex Carrington, before replying, “We’ll see.” Both free agents visited the team last week.
Cleveland investigated many options for a No. 2 wide receiver and No. 2 cornerback in free agency, but nothing worked out, according to Farmer.
The Browns are still focused on working out a long-term deal with Alex Mack, who received the transition tag from the club this offseason.

Extra Points: Bears, Mack, Steelers, Jackson

March 23rd, 2014 at 9:52pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bears are considering veterans as they search for a backup to quarterback Jay Cutler, but coach Marc Trestman feels good about what Jordan Palmer showed late in the preseason last year, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. “We give Jordan a lot of credit,” Trestman said. “He literally learned the offense on his own because we didn’t have time to work daily with him. He worked. He worked overtime and he learned the offense and came in and played admirably in the preseason. He moved the football team and was very sufficient. He’s got a lot of experience and not a lot of wear and tear. He’s been around a long time. Obviously, we’re going to have another one in there and see how that goes over the next couple of months.” More from around the NFL..

A source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter) that the Ravens have a high opinion of Alex Mack but they’ve believed all along that signing the center would be complicated and expensive to pull off.
Steelers GM Kevin Colbert says that with the available talent in this draft, trading down is the best strategy. Unfortunately for him, he says he’s far from alone in that thinking. “It makes more sense in this draft than trading up,” Colbert said, writes Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter link). “I’m sure everyone shares the same thought.”
Jets owner Woody Johnson definitely has a win-now mindset, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. “I’m not going to use the word ‘patient’ anymore. We want to do it now,” Johnson said.
Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk writes that Johnson could face a tampering violation for discussing his interest in bringing DeSean Jackson to the Jets.

FA Rumors: Colts, Blount, Allen, Britt, Finley

March 21st, 2014 at 3:23pm CST by Luke Adams

While the Colts aren’t necessarily done adding free agents, the team’s major moves have likely already been made, as GM Ryan Grigson told reporters today, including Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star.

“You never say you’re done,” Grigson said. “We had a plan and we feel really good about it. We feel real good where we’re at right now. We’re going to look toward the draft. You never say never and we’re always trying to get better. If somebody pops up and they make sense from a roster standpoint and they kind of fit the specs – age and money, big picture – then I’ll look at it.”

As the Colts shift their free agent focus to the bargain bin, let’s check in on a few other afternoon items related to the open market:

Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link) doesn’t see the Colts pursuing center Alex Mack any further, suggesting it always would have been a long shot to sign him away from the Browns.
Free agent running back LeGarrette Blount, who continues to draw interest from the Patriots, is scheduled to visit the Steelers on Sunday night, league sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Pittsburgh also met with veteran running back Maurice Jones-Drew this week.
As Jared Allen continues to mull his options, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links) weighs in with a couple tidbits: The veteran defensive end is considering three teams, with retirement also still an option, and should make a decision this weekend. As for Allen’s second visit with the Seahawks, it happened because key members of the organization weren’t at the first meeting, says Rapoport.
Wide receiver Kenny Britt has visited the Rams, Patriots, Redskins, and Bills, and has also garnered interest from the Seahawks and Panthers, writes Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. According to Florio, Britt will decide his next move this weekend, whether that means taking more visits or agreeing to sign with a team.
Jermichael Finley may still be a few more months from being in position to sign with an NFL club, a source tells Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The free agent tight end continues to recover from a spinal injury, and hasn’t yet received medical clearance.
At this point, the Panthers aren’t expected to sign Kevin Cone, Lestar Jean, or C.J. Akins, the three receivers they worked out today, tweets Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer.

FA Rumors: Hester, Melton, Harrison, Mack

March 18th, 2014 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

Longtime return specialist Devin Hester is finally making his first free agent visit of the offseason, nearly a week after free agency officially began. ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the ex-Bear is in Atlanta today meeting with the Falcons. As Field Yates of ESPN.com points out (via Twitter), the Falcons were one of four NFL teams in 2013 that didn’t have a punt return of more than 25 yards or a kick return of more than 50 yards, so targeting Hester makes sense.

Here’s more on some of the free agents still on the board:

Free agent defensive lineman Henry Melton is on his way to meet with the Rams, reports Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter). Melton, who left his visit in Dallas without a deal, remains in contact with the Cowboys, but plenty of teams are still in the mix. The Vikings, Raiders, Bears, and Seahawks all have some level of interest, depending on the 27-year-old’s price tag, says Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram (via Twitter).
Appearing on the NFL Network, free agent linebacker James Harrison, who was recently released by the Bengals, indicated that “everyone knows” he’d like to return to the Steelers (link via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk).
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk explores why transition-tagged center Alex Mack has yet to generate much interest, and how Mack’s agents could ensure that he becomes an unrestricted free agent a year from now.
Running back Alfonso Smith has been informed he won’t be returning to the Cardinals, according to a tweet from the free agent himself. Smith had been eligible for restricted free agency this winter, but didn’t receive a tender offer from Arizona.
Former Jets cornerback Aaron Berry visited the Browns yesterday, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post (Twitter link). As Costello notes, Berry played with Browns coach Mike Pettine in 2012 when Pettine was the Jets’ defensive coordinator.
The Vikings have confirmed that offensive lineman Vlad Ducasse visited Minnesota (Twitter link). Adam Caplan of ESPN.com reported last week that the visit was expected to happen.

Poll: Best Remaining Free Agent

March 15th, 2014 at 10:52pm CST by Peter Sowards

It’s been an exciting and busy few days since the 2014 NFL league year officially opened Tuesday, and many of the top free agents have already relocated or re-signed with their respective teams. Also, marquee names released by clubs — like DeMarcus Ware and Darrelle Revis — have landed with top contenders priming for Super Bowl runs.

That being said, we’re interested in seeing who you think is the best remaining free agent. We’ll start with the players remaining from Luke Adams’ top 25 NFL free agents, then add players like Antonio Cromartie who were released by their teams and have yet to be signed.

Feel free to defend your vote in the comments section below.

FA Rumors: Campbell, Melton, Browner, Mack

March 14th, 2014 at 7:41am CST by Luke Adams

Offensive lineman Bruce Campbell, who was originally thought to have a deal with the Redskins, will visit the Giants today, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Last we heard on Campbell, there were some issues with his physical, but Washington remained on the table as a destination. According to Zac Boyer of the Washington Times (via Twitter), the Redskins’ offer stands, though perhaps it’s not the same offer that Campbell initially agreed to, given the health concerns.

Here are the latest updates on a few more free agents on the board, plus one that recently came off it:

After sticking around Minnesota overnight, defensive tackle Henry Melton is on his way to Seattle to visit with the Seahawks, says Josina Anderson of ESPN (via Twitter).
While his agent negotiates with the Patriots and Raiders, free agent cornerback Brandon Browner will first visit with the Redskins today and then head to New Orleans to meet with the Saints, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com.
Center Alex Mack is in no hurry to sign his transition tender from the Browns, agent Tim Younger tells Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. According to Mack’s agent, his client intends to make some visits to teams at some point, but there are none on the docket quite yet.
The Cowboys showed no signs of wanting to re-sign Jason Hatcher before he landed with the Redskins, the defensive lineman himself told KRLD-FM yesterday, according to Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “I know the [Cowboys’] fans are upset. They should be,” Hatcher said. “They have all the right in the world to be. But I made the right decision for me. If we could’ve made it work out we would’ve, but I’m in a great place with the Redskins, a great organization. I’m looking forward to getting back to football.”