Alex Mack - Pro Football Rumors

Browns Use Transition Tag On Alex Mack

March 3rd, 2014 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

3:00pm: The Browns have officially placed the transition tag on Mack, the team announced (Twitter link).

2:31pm: In recent Collective Bargaining Agreements, the transition tag has become virtually obsolete, taking a backseat to the franchise tag. However, the Browns will become the first team to use the transition tag in several years, placing it on center Alex Mack, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).

Like the non-exclusive franchise tag, the transition tag allows a player to negotiate with other teams when free agency begins. It essentially makes the player a restricted free agent — he can sign an offer sheet with another team, and his current team has five days to match it or pass. In Mack’s case, if the Browns chose to pass on the offer sheet and let Mack go to the signing team, Cleveland wouldn’t get any compensatory draft picks. The trade-off is that the cost of the transition tag on a one-year deal is slightly less than the franchise tag. This year’s figures are about $11.65MM for the franchise tag and $10.04MM for the transition tag.

Even at about $1.6MM less than the franchise price, the transition price of $10MM is exorbitant for a center. As OverTheCap.com’s data shows, the highest-paid center in the NFL by annual average value is currently Ryan Kalil of the Panthers, who is averaging $8.19MM per year. As such, signing the one-year transition tender for $10.04MM may be Mack’s best move, unless he receives a significant multiyear offer from another team in free agency.

Using the transition tag on Mack means the Browns will likely let safety T.J. Ward hit the open market next week, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

FA Rumors: Spikes, Jackson, Mack, Graham

March 3rd, 2014 at 12:04pm CST by Luke Adams

With the 2014 free agent period now eight days away, we’re starting to get a clearer idea of which players will actually be available when we turn the calendar to March 11, and a new league year begins. Plenty of free-agents-to-be will still be locked up between now and then, but many more will hit the open market, and perhaps change teams. Here’s the latest on a number of current or prospective free agents:

The Patriots and Brandon Spikes aren’t discussing a new deal, meaning the linebacker appears likely to become a free agent and sign elsewhere, writes Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.
Having met with the Broncos and Titans already, linebacker D’Qwell Jackson is on his way to Miami today to visit the Dolphins, according to Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (via Twitter). The former Brown has a leg up on this year’s class of free agent linebackers, since he’s free to sign prior to March 11 if he so chooses.
The Browns‘ brass met with center Alex Mack this weekend, and are serious about mending fences with Mack that may have been torn down by the old regime, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
In the view of ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link), the Seahawks and Packers should be open to the idea of signing Jimmy Graham to an offer sheet and giving up two first-round picks to snatch him away from the Saints. However, Peter King of TheMMQB.com doesn’t think giving up a pair of top picks for the right to pay Graham $12MM per year is worth it.
Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com takes a look at the Saints‘ perspective when it comes to negotiating a new deal for Graham.
Chris Murray, the agent for defensive back Marcus Sherels, is optimistic that he and the Vikings will complete a deal for his restricted free agent client before March 11, tweets Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
The Giants will be bringing back exclusive rights free agent OL Dallas Reynolds, says Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News (via Twitter).
Pro Football Focus has released a list of its top 75 free agents.

AFC Notes: Broncos, Browns, Raiders, Jaguars

March 2nd, 2014 at 6:06pm CST by Ben Levine

A couple of notes from around the AFC on this Sunday evening…

D’Qwell Jackson flew to Denver to meet with the Broncos today, tweets Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. It was reported last week that Jackson would also meet with the Titans.
The Browns will not cut or restructure the contract of defensive lineman Ahtyba Rubin, Cabot writes in another article. There were rumblings that Rubin might be a cap casualty only a couple of days ago.
The Raiders like Derek Carr more than Johnny Manziel, writes Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times. As Farmer points out, the team is known to make unconventional picks, so Manziel would “seem like a natural fit for them.”
Justin Forsett and Jason Babin could potentially be cut by the Jaguars, Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com writes.
In the same article, DiRocco says that the Jaguars’ cap room means they can get involved with free agents like Alex Mack or Brian Orakpo.

AFC South Notes: Jaguars, Martin, Clowney

February 28th, 2014 at 9:31pm CST by Rob DiRe

While some teams received some extra cap relief as the new salary cap number was released, there are some teams that are not benefiting from the extra room just yet. The Jaguars are estimated to now have just over $56MM in cap space this offseason, according to OverTheCap.com. Every team could use a little extra cap space, but the Jaguars are still worried about hitting the minimum 89% cash spending requirement, writes Alfie Crow of BigCatCountry. Crow does explain that they do not have to hit that mark in 2014, but instead must reach the mark over a four-year period.

Here are some other notes from around the AFC South:

The Jaguars have plenty of options if they want to spend their money, either up to the brink of the cap or even just to approach the 89% mark. Nate Davis of USA Today advises that the team’s general manager Dave Caldwell start by courting a big name wideout such as Hakeem Nicks, and handing out a big payday to Browns center Alex Mack in order to replace the retiring Brad Meester.
Jonathan Martin will most likely be looking for a new team in the near future, and although he has many friends in the Colts’ locker room, Mike Wells of ESPN.com writes that the team is not in need of a tackle. Pro Football Rumors recognized this unfortunate reality as well, earlier this month.
The Titans hold the 11th pick in the NFL Draft, and while the team has many holes to fill, Nicholas Pitakos of TitanSized.com explored the possibility of the team moving up to draft Jadeveon Clowney out of South Carolina. While he sees Clowney as a once in a lifetime prospect, and he is scared of him ending up in the AFC South with either the Texans or Jaguars, Pitakos sees the price just being too costly for the Titans to move up.

Re-Signing Alex Mack Top Priority For Browns

February 23rd, 2014 at 9:54am CST by Rory Parks

The Browns have made re-signing center Alex Mack their No. 1 priority, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). As our own Rob DiRe observed last week, Mack was unlikely to remain with Cleveland under the team’s old regime. However, after the surprising front office shake-up in Cleveland, new team officials would like to keep Mack in a Browns uniform but would prefer to do so without using the $11MM franchise tag for offensive linemen.

Rapoport’s tweet indicates that the Browns not only want to keep Mack, but that they have put a contract for the talented center at the top of their to-do list.

Mack Has Questions About Browns’ Direction

February 19th, 2014 at 10:13am CST by Luke Adams

Free-agent-to-be Alex Mack likely won’t be designated as the Browns’ franchise player, since the team won’t want to pay left-tackle money to its starting center, but Cleveland remains very interested in re-signing Mack. According to Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland, negotiations between the two sides are expected to get underway after Mack returns from a humanitarian trip to Rio de Janeiro at the end of the month. However, before negotiations begin, Mack will want some answers to questions he has about the Browns’ future and direction, agent Marv Demoff tells Grossi.

“I think the most important thing is Alex really would want to meet the coaches,” Demoff said. “He was pretty close to [former offensive line coach George] Warhop, and liked [former head coach Rob] Chudzinski. Everything he had in Cleveland is changed. Warhop was a constant for five years. He’s gone. There’s a different head coach, different offensive coordinator, different offensive line coach. If you’re looking at this from an intelligent point of view, there’s more to it than money. You have to believe in what you’re doing. I want Alex first to be able to sign off and say I’m fine with all the changes and where they’re headed.”

While Mack had been viewed as likely to leave Cleveland under the team’s old regime, the new decision-makers are anxious to meet with the center and his agent, according to Grossi. The club previously attempted to work out a long-term agreement in the fall, but couldn’t agree with Mack and Demoff on either the dollar figure or the number of years. Grossi hears from a source that the Browns wanted a five-year deal, while Mack preferred three years, though he was willing to do four.

Although those early negotiations weren’t fruitful, the two sides agreed to revisit the conversation after the season, and Demoff insists that the previous impasse in talks won’t preclude a deal this time around. In the agent’s view, his client isn’t necessarily clamoring to reach the open market.

“During the season, he was playing football with the Browns,” Demoff said. “When he was negotiating in October, he was negotiating a long-term deal for the Browns. Once that didn’t happen, he put it aside. He didn’t put a circle on March 11 on his calendar.”

If Mack isn’t tagged as the team’s franchise player, and if he and the Browns are unable to reach an agreement by March 11, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent. In that case, the 28-year-old figures to be one of the most appealing offensive linemen available. According to Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required), Mack graded as the league’s fourth-best center in 2013.

AFC North Notes: Mack, Collins, Pitta

February 17th, 2014 at 10:28pm CST by Rob DiRe

With the changes in the Browns‘ front office this offseason, the status of Alex Mack‘s free agency has wavered back and forth. While Mack was once unlikely to remain with the team, Nate Ulrich of the Beacon Journal writes that the Browns are focused on re-signing their center. The team would like to do so without having to use the franchise tag, which would carry a price tag of over $11MM for an offensive lineman. Here are other notes from the AFC North:

The Bengals would like to retain both left tackle Anthony Collins and safety Taylor Mays, writes Joe Reedy of the Enquirer. They also would like to be able to bring back both players on long term deals without having to exercise the franchise tag.
The Ravens and tight end Dennis Pitta are reportedly “far apart” in contract negotiations, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The Ravens could franchise Pitta if a long-term contract is not agreed upon, but there will be contention over whether Pitta is considered a tight end or wide receiver, much like the situation with Jimmy Graham in New Orleans.
Many draft pundits have the Steelers selecting Louis Nix of Notre Dame with the 15th overall pick, but it could be a reach according to Alan Robinson of TribLive.com. Nose tackle Steve McLendon only played a third of the Steelers’ defensive snaps in 2013, but Robinson does look to advanced stats to see that McLendon was better than he was thought to be.

AFC North Notes: Suggs, Bengals, Browns

February 15th, 2014 at 8:12pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Raven’s top priority this offseason must be coming to an agreement of a contract extension with Pro Bowl pass rusher Terrell Suggs, writes Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun. Suggs has one year left on his deal, for $12.4MM. Preston writes that the Ravens could save more than $5MM if they agree to an extension, which would give them about $17 to $18 million in cap space to work with in free agency. That would help them re-sign tight end Dennis Pitta, who they are considering using the franchise tag on if a long-term deal cannot be reached, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. Citing an NFL source, Preston indicates that Suggs and the Ravens are making progress towards a reworked contract. Here are some other notes from around the AFC North:

The Ravens are expected to sign another quarterback sometime during free agency, according to Bo Smolka of CSNBaltimore.com. The quarterback would compete with Tyrod Taylor to be Joe Flacco‘s backup in 2014. Smolka is confident that Taylor will be able to beat out whoever the team brings in once again, and does not think the Ravens will carry three quarterbacks during the season.
The two top free agents the Bengals will look to re-sign are defensive end Michael Johnson and left tackle Anthony Collins, according to Hobson. If they cannot bring back Collins, that will most likely mean they will move Andrew Whitworth back to left tackle in 2014.
The Browns are widely thought to be looking for a quarterback with their first pick, but Pat McManamon of ESPN.com would rather see the team target receiver Sammy Watkins of Clemson. Pairing the young receiver with Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron would set the basis for an offense to succeed.
McManamon believes that the Browns will be unable to retain center Alex Mack in free agency. Hobson agrees that Mack will move on if not franchised. Hobson also writes that the team will move on from two free agent guards, starter Shawn Lauvao and backup Oniel Cousins.

North Notes: Browns, Suh, Porter, Bears

February 11th, 2014 at 2:45pm CST by Luke Adams

After announcing several front office moves earlier today, the Browns will add one more new executive, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. Schefter reports (via Twitter) that former Chiefs VP of player personnel Bill Kuharich will join the Browns to assist new GM Ray Farmer. Kuharich and Farmer worked together in Kansas City.

With a new group of decision-makers taking over football operations in Cleveland, several players’ futures could be affected. We have details on those possibilities, as well as updates on a few more AFC and NFC North teams, so let’s dive in….

The Browns have a much more realistic chance of re-signing star center Alex Mack, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who says (via Twitter) that Mack appeared to be a sure thing to depart in free agency under the old regime. Rapoport adds (via Twitter) that receiver Greg Little was certain to be waived by the old regime, but may be retained for another season by the new decision-makers.
After Schefter reported that Jay Z and Roc Nation Sports would advise Lions defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh in some capacity, fellow ESPN.com scribe Darren Rovell added that Roc Nation would represent Suh for both contract negotiations and marketing. We had heard back in January when Suh fired his previous agents that Jay-Z was expected to be involved in the 27-year-old’s new representation.
Longtime Steeler linebacker Joey Porter had been hired by his old team as a defensive assistant, and figures to work with the current group of linebackers in Pittsburgh, tweets Bob Labriola of Steelers Digest.
The Bears aren’t likely to use their own franchise tag this offseason, but they’ll be keeping an eye on which other teams around the league designate franchise players, since it could affect their free agent pursuits, writes John Mullin of CSNChicago.com.

Extra Points: Hatcher, Jackson, Mack

February 2nd, 2014 at 12:46pm CST by Rory Parks

Cowboys free agent defensive tackle Jason Hatcher‘s best-case scenario might be to sign a club-friendly deal with Dallas, writes Bleacher Report’s Dan Pompei. Although Hatcher’s breakout campaign in 2013, which included a career-best 11 sacks, may have been enough to land him a lucrative deal under different circumstances, his age (32) and past performance will likely limit his market. Before 2013, Hatcher’s career high was 4.5 sacks, and Pompei believes it will be difficult for Hatcher to match or surpass last season’s success.

Some other notes from around the league:

Pompei notes that Steven Jackson is likely to remain with the Falcons. Jackson has struggled with injuries throughout his career, but Atlanta officials thought Jackson ran well when healthy and that his lackluster season was influenced by poor blocking from his linemen.
Pompei also thinks it is highly unlikely that Browns free agent center Alex Mack will get the franchise tag because it would cost the Browns around $11MM. The tag for offensive linemen as a whole is driven by the salaries of offensive tackles, which explains why it would be so expensive to tag Mack despite the fact that no center made more than $5.5MM last year. Pompei believes Mack will become the highest-paid center in the game, but he does not give an opinion as to who he thinks may land him.
In a pre-Super Bowl Twitter mailbag, Tony Grossi of ESPN.com tweets that it is unlikely the Browns will retain Mack, and he reaffirms his belief that Cleveland will use the franchise tag on safety T.J. Ward. Grossi said Ward himself expects the tag.