Cleveland Browns (2014 Season)

[Mike80]

$10 Million a year for an elite center makes sense....

$10 Million a year for Alex Mack is utterly stupid.

I fully expect them to match.

 

[tsteele316]

If that is the deal I think I let him walk then draft the best OL in the draft at #4 to play RT. Move Grecco to C and Schwartz to RG. No center is worth 11 mil a year for that long. At least Robinson or Matthews could take over for Thomas when he retires. I'd still like to hear what Chris Faulk looks like in spring workouts. If his knee is close to 100% he could be a good option at LG.

who would have thought that tony grossi, of all people, had the best summation of the alex mack situation today when he wrote this:

"Imagine a 4-12 team without a star quarterback, receiver, cornerback, pass rusher or running back making a center its highest-paid player. How dumb is that?"

Jax

 

[Buckeneye]

10-11mil? Thanks for your contributions Mack, enjoy your career *laugh* in Jacksonville.

 

[bigdog3300]

Not sure how the CBA rules are but I wonder if a sign and trade would have been more ideal if the Browns expected a contract like this. They could have signed him to a contract Jax had agreed with him on (not this craziness) and saved them $ while still getting CLE something in return, even if it was a 4th round pick or something along those lines.

 

[tsteele316]

Not sure how the CBA rules are but I wonder if a sign and trade would have been more ideal if the Browns expected a contract like this. They could have signed him to a contract Jax had agreed with him on (not this craziness) and saved them $ while still getting CLE something in return, even if it was a 4th round pick or something along those lines.

then the browns would have to eat all the guaranteed money in the contract.

 

[Bucklion]

With the ability to walk after 2 years there's no way any team should ever match that contract. That said, if this were any of the previous 5 regimes, I would expect they would have done so now already. We'll see what this one does.

 

[NJ-Buckeye]

I won't be surprised if Cleveland matches the offer an hour after Mack signs it

 

[exhawg]

It will be interesting to see what the actual wording is in the contract. I don't know how it works if only 18 mil is guaranteed over the first 2 years, but 27 is guaranteed overall. I have a hard time believing any team would guarantee the whole 27 if the player opts out after 2. If so Jax put themselves in a bad position because he would just opt out after 2 years and still make the whole 27. If the contract is for 18 mil over the first 2 years with a guaranteed roster bonus of 9 mil if Mack doesn't opt out after 2 years I could swallow it. The Browns were already going to pay him 10+ for this season so adding on 8 for next year isn't that bad.

I still would have no problem letting him walk and drafting Matthews at 4 or a few pick later than that if someone wants to trade up. You can't argue with the Matthews family genes.

 

[tsteele316]

It will be interesting to see what the actual wording is in the contract. I don't know how it works if only 18 mil is guaranteed over the first 2 years, but 27 is guaranteed overall. I have a hard time believing any team would guarantee the whole 27 if the player opts out after 2. If so Jax put themselves in a bad position because he would just opt out after 2 years and still make the whole 27. If the contract is for 18 mil over the first 2 years with a guaranteed roster bonus of 9 mil if Mack doesn't opt out after 2 years I could swallow it. The Browns were already going to pay him 10+ for this season so adding on 8 for next year isn't that bad.

I still would have no problem letting him walk and drafting Matthews at 4 or a few pick later than that if someone wants to trade up. You can't argue with the Matthews family genes.

jax would have to be incredibly stupid to do that to themselves. would they honestly think that mack wouldn't opt out after two years so he could sign one more good FA deal while taking all that guaranteed money? that's like cutting off your own dick to slap someone else in the face with it.

 

[exhawg]

jax would have to be incredibly stupid to do that to themselves. would they honestly think that mack wouldn't opt out after two years so he could sign one more good FA deal while taking all that guaranteed money? that's like cutting off your own dick to slap someone else in the face with it.

I was just thinking this could be a new form of poison pill. Maybe the contract does guarantee 27 mil regardless of if he opts out, but he signs the opt in along with the contract with Jax. If the Browns match the opt in goes in the shredder and the Browns are on the hook for 27 mil for 2 years.

 

[AKAK]

I was just thinking this could be a new form of poison pill. Maybe the contract does guarantee 27 mil regardless of if he opts out, but he signs the opt in along with the contract with Jax. If the Browns match the opt in goes in the shredder and the Browns are on the hook for 27 mil for 2 years.

Well, there would be "structuring in a way that would make it very difficult for the browns to match" and you might be on to something here. Of course, if I were him, I'd tell Jax I was gonna sign the opt in, then pull a Carlos Boozer. Well, I wouldn't... and Alex Mack might not, but Carlos Boozer would.

 

[exhawg]

Well, there would be "structuring in a way that would make it very difficult for the browns to match" and you might be on to something here. Of course, if I were him, I'd tell Jax I was gonna sign the opt in, then pull a Carlos Boozer. Well, I wouldn't... and Alex Mack might not, but Carlos Boozer would.

Any agent that wants to continue to work with NFL teams probably wouldn't do that. On the other hand Boo$er would.

 

[jlb1705]

Wants out of Cleveland because the franchise is lousy. Tries to sign with Jacksonville.

 

[NFBuck]

Wants out of Cleveland because the franchise is lousy. Tries to sign with Jacksonville.

Must love jorts.

 

[AKAK]

jax would have to be incredibly stupid to do that to themselves. would they honestly think that mack wouldn't opt out after two years so he could sign one more good FA deal while taking all that guaranteed money? that's like cutting off your own dick to slap someone else in the face with it.

Ok, so, apparently (or obviously) its 26 million guaranteed... 18 for the first 2 years, and then 8 million in year 3 if he signs the opt in. And whoever signs him can't franchise tag him after 2015. That's really the only wrinkle to worry about.

The Browns will match, I'd imagine