Alex Mack News

[Bluefire4]

Alex Mack - C - Browns

Impending free agent C Alex Mack is expected to test the open market.

Mack, 28, will likely be the Browns' top priority and could be franchise-tagged, but CEO Joe Banner may not believe in dolling out that kind of cash to a center. Mack is going to be a hot commodity on the open market and is easily the top center available in free agency -- he graded out as Pro Football Focus' No. 1 center in 2013. He'll probably aim for a deal similar to the one Ryan Kalil signed with the Panthers at six years and $49.1 million with $19 million guaranteed. Mack has previously said he'll give the Browns a chance to match any offer, though that was before the coaching staff was fired after one season.

 

[SteelDragon]

Geez. that's a lot of coin if he's looking for a Kalil kind of deal (about 8 million+ per),  I'll be watching him closely this off-season.  Hope he can end up with the shoe somehow.

[Dustin]

Pass. I would never give an interior lineman that type of coin.

[Gavin]

Pass. I would never give an interior lineman that type of coin.

I sure would, Beats watching Satele try to block, Sign him to a 6 year 8.1 mill per year deal

[Gabriel Alexander Morillo]

We need to make the line great. Imagine the Colts with a Patriots Oline +a better qb!

[Boiler_Colt]

A top flight center would really solidify the line and could mask a lot of deficiencies at the guard position. Saturday did it for years. However, I can't see dropping that kind of coin on Mack. Cherilus just got paid and I have a feeling the staff feels Castonzo is worthy of a pretty solid deal next year. Plus next year we have to pay Freeman and start thinking about what the class of 2012 is going to need to get locked up.

[corgi]

[ColtJ82]

We need to make the line great. Imagine the Colts with a Patriots Oline +a better qb!I 

I would be thrilled with simply having a good line.....they don't have to be great in my opinion. They just can't be BAD like they have been the last couple of years.

[bestQBever]

Normally it would be a terrible decision to spend that much money on an O line man (interior) but honestly, going from satele to Mack would instantly make our O line top 15. Add a decent RG to the mix and have donald thomas come back and there's a top 10 if not better O line.

[Superman]

Pass. I would never give an interior lineman that type of coin.

 

So you weren't a Levitre fan last offseason?

 

I wouldn't want to give Mack that kind of money either, but the market certainly supports that kind of demand. 

[Dustin]

So you weren't a Levitre fan last offseason?

 

I wouldn't want to give Mack that kind of money either, but the market certainly supports that kind of demand. 

 

I was a Vasquez fan. Not so much Levitre. 

[Superman]

I was a Vasquez fan. Not so much Levitre. 

 

Yeah, he only got $6m/year. ;)

[BProland85]

Id rather pay Dietrich-Smith half of that per year, but if the numbers are only off by 2 mil per year, Id go for Mack and get a stud C.

[Gabriel Alexander Morillo]

Were essentially clinging at straws. He's gonna resign, and encouraged the browns to match offers. Having a coaching turnaround means nothing since that was to be expected.

[21isSuperman]

C'maaaan, Alex!  You can snap the ball to Andrew Luck!  That's worth a discount of at least $3 mil a year

[Derakynn]

Yeah that is just too much. I would only give that kind of money to pass rushers, secondary, QB, receiver, and possibly OTs. But I'm just a kid sitting on a couch. 

[Andy]

That's a lot of money, and people seem to think that there's absolutely no chance he doesn't succeed here, where in fact there's an equally good chance he doesn't do well in Indy.

 

I'd pass for now and try to find better options at cheaper prices. 

[Bluefire4]

In my opinion if we sign Mack we won't grab a guard and go into next season with Thorton and Thomas.

[trisca01]

Were essentially clinging at straws. He's gonna resign, and encouraged the browns to match offers. Having a coaching turnaround means nothing since that was to be expected.

Really? The media and fans seemed to be quite shocked.

[dgambill]

Thats a long shot in every sense of the word. Honestly we desperately need an upgrade there...and even if he is worth that it would be hard to sign him for that and fill the other holes we will have at an acceptable level. I am 100% behind getting us the best OL...but if we can get someone for less that can give us close to his production...it will be a better option. Davis is going to cost us a pretty penny...I'm not sure what we do with Bethea but a top end S is big money too...I think we may have to look at some cheaper options...even if this guy is the best.

[Balzer40]

Thats a long shot in every sense of the word. Honestly we desperately need an upgrade there...and even if he is worth that it would be hard to sign him for that and fill the other holes we will have at an acceptable level. I am 100% behind getting us the best OL...but if we can get someone for less that can give us close to his production...it will be a better option. Davis is going to cost us a pretty penny...I'm not sure what we do with Bethea but a top end S is big money too...I think we may have to look at some cheaper options...even if this guy is the best.

 

 

 

Exactly, and this is what many fans are missing. Mack would be great to have but to spend that kind of money on a center is ludicrous IMO. We need to upgrade at several other positions as well, plus re-sign some of our own guys. There are other guys available that would be significant upgrades at the center position without having to spend nearly as much money. This forum gets stuck on certain players to bring in and the front office don't even consider them usually. Last yr. it was Levitre and Vasquez and neither were brought in even for a visit to my knowledge and this yr. will probably be much the same.

[dgambill]

Exactly, and this is what many fans are missing. Mack would be great to have but to spend that kind of money on a center is ludicrous IMO. We need to upgrade at several other positions as well, plus re-sign some of our own guys. There are other guys available that would be significant upgrades at the center position without having to spend nearly as much money. This forum gets stuck on certain players to bring in and the front office don't even consider them usually. Last yr. it was Levitre and Vasquez and neither were brought in even for a visit to my knowledge and this yr. will probably be much the same.

Yeah...I really wanted Vazquez I can't lie..but I knew we had to go with a cheaper option....and Donald Thomas looked like a solid signing...I will say though giving someone like Landry, Walden and Toler big money and passing on Vazquez to me bothered me but I understand we can't get the top guy every time.

[The_Warlord]

Yup, way to much money to spend on a Center.  I'd rather go for a cheaper option that is an upgrade over what we have and apply the savings from not signing Mack to other positions.

[Mameluc]

no way we go after him...how much money will we use on the OL ? Cherilus has a big contract and cap hit goes up on 2015, Castonzo i dont think its going anywhere so thats another contract...plus Donald Thomas?

 

I like him and want him but i think we would be making a mistake having that much money tied to one unit.

[Jason_]

Yeah...I really wanted Vazquez I can't lie..but I knew we had to go with a cheaper option....and Donald Thomas looked like a solid signing...I will say though giving someone like Landry, Walden and Toler big money and passing on Vazquez to me bothered me but I understand we can't get the top guy every time.

 

To be fair and if my memory on this is correct, I don't think we ever got a chance to bring in Vazquez.  Wasn't Denver his first visit and he signed a contract before leaving.  **Just checked, he signed with Denver on opening day of FA.  I always felt that Denver was his first choice and if they offered him even a remotely decent contract he was going to sign there.

[Valpo2004]

To be fair and if my memory on this is correct, I don't think we ever got a chance to bring in Vazquez.  Wasn't Denver his first visit and he signed a contract before leaving.  **Just checked, he signed with Denver on opening day of FA.  I always felt that Denver was his first choice and if they offered him even a remotely decent contract he was going to sign there.

 

Yeah I think he wanted to play for a SB and signed with Denver without even checking into other offers.  He could have made more then 6 million if he was willing to play for any team willing to pay him that. 

 

He wanted to play for a team that would compete for a SB. 

 

We didn't have much of a chance to sign him.  We're a good team but we're not at Denver's level yet.  (Honestly with the offensive talent on that team it's really hard to be at Denver's level.)

[lollygagger8]

We pay Satele around $4M/yr. 

 

We could have somebody more than twice as good as Satele for $8M/yr. 

 

[braveheartcolt]

If we signed him it would be a case of Mack and....Geez.

[dw49]

A top flight center would really solidify the line and could mask a lot of deficiencies at the guard position. Saturday did it for years. However, I can't see dropping that kind of coin on Mack. Cherilus just got paid and I have a feeling the staff feels Castonzo is worthy of a pretty solid deal next year. Plus next year we have to pay Freeman and start thinking about what the class of 2012 is going to need to get locked up.

 

 

If the Colts like Castonzo , I agree with you that they probably do , they will have him under contract through 2015. The last year of his 4 year deal is next year but 1st rounds picks have a club option for a 5th year. Prior to the 2014 draft , the Colts can elect to exercise that option. The salary for 2015 would be the average pay of the LT's 3-32 (3rd highest to 32nd.) in the 2014 year.

[BpG]

We pay Satele around $4M/yr. 

 

We could have somebody more than twice as good as Satele for $8M/yr. 

 

 

 

[throwing BBZ]

Yeah, he only got $6m/year. ;)

 

Vasquez got $5,760, 000ish Levitre $2m more per.

Uh, YOUR GM picked Satele as HIS Center & McGlynn as HIS GUARD.

 After going NUTTS and making Gosder the HIGHEST paid RT (who is not bad), he is Bust to pay Maybe THE Best at his position to play for him.

 Holmes better be GOOD soon so Grigson can Maybe take his "This is MY O-Line" Dunce hat off. Shame on him!

[Superman]

Vasquez got $5,760, 000ish Levitre $2m more per.

Uh, YOUR GM picked Satele as HIS Center & McGlynn as HIS GUARD.

 After going NUTTS and making Gosder the HIGHEST paid RT (who is not bad), he is Bust to pay Maybe THE Best at his position to play for him.

 Holmes better be GOOD soon so Grigson can Maybe take his "This is MY O-Line" Dunce hat off. Shame on him!

 

[Horse Shoe Heaven]

We pay Satele around $4M/yr. 

 

We could have somebody more than twice as good as Satele for $8M/yr. 

 

Satele gets 5 million? But I don't think we can afford Mack honestly. Thats a lot of jack for a center.

[Gavin]

Satele gets 5 million? But I don't think we can afford Mack honestly. Thats a lot of jack for a center.

Sure we can if we release Satele and clear 4 mill of wasted space, we dont have alot of free agents of ours we have to resign that will cost alot of money

[pacolts56]

Yeah...I really wanted Vazquez I can't lie..but I knew we had to go with a cheaper option....and Donald Thomas looked like a solid signing...I will say though giving someone like Landry, Walden and Toler big money and passing on Vazquez to me bothered me but I understand we can't get the top guy every time.

The problem with Vasquez was also that Manny Ramirez and him were team mates at Texas Tech...and Ramirez heavily recruited him to Denver.

 

If I remember correctly, Vasquez signed with the Broncos almost immediately after the FA period opened.

 

And I wanted Vasquez in a Colts uniform too....but we simply never had a real shot at him to begin with.

 

As indicated in this excerpt from an ESPN article, Grigson didn't pass on Vasquez....because he was likely headed for Denver from the get go to eventually play along side Ramirez again....

 

He ruled out Texas A&M, he said, and then took a visit to Lubbock.

 

"And at the time I'm starting to worry a little bit about where I'm going to end up and those kinds of things, and then I go visit Texas Tech," Vasquez said. "And they're taking me through the facility and I'm meeting some of the guys and it feels like there's a lot of potential for that to be the place. And then I meet Manny and Manny was just like me. Manny's like my brother now. You know, we've been around each other a long time, but Manny was kind of my host on that recruiting trip and now we're together again."

[dgambill]

Satele gets 5 million? But I don't think we can afford Mack honestly. Thats a lot of jack for a center.

It is...and even if you add someone like Mack...even as good as he is how much better did he make Cleveland? Not to run the guy down but if you have weak links on either side...that 8 million is wasted. It's not like Cleveland was pounding the rock up inside else Trent would still be there...not saying Mack isn't a great center...but to pay him that much money would probably eliminate upgrading at the guard position. I'm all for adding the salary but to lock it up in a few positions won't make us strong across the board. We have to invest but do it wisely...upgrade the center but allow us ability to sign another upgrade at guard for the same 8 million and you got me signed on. The other guard position hopefully Thomas and co. can hold down. I could be wrong but everytime I see great OLs...seems like it is always in tandom....like RT,RG..LT,LG seems it takes two together to open up holes.