Alex Mack and Chudzinski are good friends

[Blueblazes]

DON'T underestimate the difference between a good Center, and an ELITE All-Pro center and how that will improve our line, and elevate the players around him...This is where the $$ needs to be spent...We need Quality over quantity instead of a bunch of mid level "potential " guys..We tried that last year..Mack is a can't miss guy..

Yes, exactly. Going as far back as you want to go, an elite center has a huge impact on the Oline and therefore the team as a whole. The '60s Packers had HOF Jim Ringo and Ken Bowman after that. The '70s Steelers had HOF Dave Webster.  In the mid-'70s we added Ken Mendenhall and improved greatly. When we added Kirk Lowdermilk (and yes LT Will Wolford too) in the mid 90s, it was no coincidence that we became a competitive team then. We find Jeff Saturday and install him at center and we improve on the O line. No, these moves in particular were not the total reason the teams improved, but they did have a great impact.

[BOTT]

Yes, exactly. Going as far back as you want to go, an elite center has a huge impact on the Oline and therefore the team as a whole. The '60s Packers had HOF Jim Ringo and Ken Bowman after that. The '70s Steelers had HOF Dave Webster.  In the mid-'70s we added Ken Mendenhall and improved greatly. When we added Kirk Lowdermilk (and yes LT Will Wolford too) in the mid 90s, it was no coincidence that we became a competitive team then. We find Jeff Saturday and install him at center and we improve on the O line. No, these moves in particular were not the total reason the teams improved, but they did have a great impact.

I dunno, I have heard a couple former lineman say that the center position is overrated in terms of importance and that right guard is actually the most important interior position on the offensive line.

[dw49]

It's probably gonna be around 9 million a year to land him.  

 

For me I think it's more of a question of if Mack wants to keep playing for the Browns.  

 

The guy isn't gonna have any difficulty finding a team to sign him to a big money deal.  The question is if he wants to keep playing for a losing team that changes it's coach and GM every year.

 

 

9 mill is really the high side. I would guess around 7.5

[OffensivelyPC]

I dunno, I have heard a couple former lineman say that the center position is overrated in terms of importance and that right guard is actually the most important interior position on the offensive line.

I think a great C can compensate for a lot of the deficiencies at the G positions better than the reverse.  That being said, its still comparing apples and oranges and it really doesn't make too much sense to say that one is more important than the other, especially given that they share the same types of roles, it jsut depends on where you're running the ball in a run play, and where the defense is coming from on a pass play.  But the bottom line is, a breakdown at any point in the interior OL is just as disruptive, no matter who where the mistake is coming from. 

[schwamm]

DON'T underestimate the difference between a good Center, and an ELITE All-Pro center and how that will improve our line, and elevate the players around him...This is where the $$ needs to be spent...We need Quality over quantity instead of a bunch of mid level "potential " guys..We tried that last year..Mack is a can't miss guy..

Holy smokes! I agree with something you've said! It stands as a first to my recollection!

I've said before that Grigs HAD to shop the value/bargain bins the last two seasons. Now I think he has the money to spend, and not nearly the exhaustive list of needs he had to address before. C. ILB. Maybe DE. Then address DBs and depth through the draft.

[jshipp23]

SCHWAMM, I may not agree with others opinions, but I understand and respect them...In the end we all want the same thing, just different views on how we get there..

[OffensivelyPC]

SCHWAMM, I may not agree with others opinions, but I understand and respect them...In the end we all want the same thing, just different views on how we get there..

Why don't you hit the reply button to people?  In another thread, I had no clue you responded to me until I just so happened to see your comment.  At least if you hit the reply button, you get a notification.  Just so people know and don't miss your comment. 

[jshipp23]

My phone won't allow it for some reason PC..It just puts the quote up but no reply..

[jshipp23]

....

[OffensivelyPC]

My phone won't allow it for some reason PC..It just puts the quote up but no reply..

Gotcha, figuredi t was probably some sort of technical issue, but thought I'd ask anyway.

[CopenhagenColt]

Really??? You do know those SB rings don't bring much when you go to pawn them and pay your rent? NFL players have 2-3 yrs on avg to make their money that will set them up for the next 30-40 yrs. Sure some will find other jobs but few will find jobs paying the nfl minimum for example. So forgive them if they don't go ahead and take as much as they can earn...because it has to last the rest of their lives...and if they intend to live a lifestyle of a professional athlete and have a nice house and cars etc...they will need every penny...most go broke within the first 10 yrs out of the league. Championships don't put food on the table or buy you that nice house in the suburbs. Pure hard cash does. Perhaps when you are already sitting on millions and a couple rings are what will land you endorsements and legacy within the league that you can cash in...sure you may sacrifice a bit...but few have much to gain $$ wise from being a SB winner. Do you even know the center for the Seahawks? Do you think he is going to somehow turn his SB win into cash for life? Doubtful. Mack should take the best deal...and that can mean having some sort of happiness playing there...who wants to go to work miserable...so sure we may have some leverage there...but when it comes down to millions...take the money.

 

Come on. A little simple isn't it?

We're not talking about playing for a minimum wage versus megamillions. It's not only about the money. Being in a team that can do well matters as well as does a lot of other factors.

Wether you have a contract for 11 million a year or 10 million a year, isn't really that much of a difference. The notion that it has to last them the rest of their lives... You would have to be a complete * if you would blow something like 20-30 million (over a career). Even if you only put half of that into some plain bonds, you would be making more than a very decent living, without ever working for another minute in your life. At 5-6% interest... You do the math.

If you're talking about the players who barely makes the rosters and are on minimum contracts, then it's a different matter of course. But players like Mack who can get big contracts anywhere, there are more to it, than just the numbers on the paycheck.

[Track Guy]

Just how much more expensive would Mack be than Evan Dietrich-Smith? I'm guessing Mack would run around $8 million a year and EDS maybe $4 million - $5 million? Or would EDS be even less than that?