Browns Transition Tag Alex Mack

[Pelt]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/03/03/browns-use-transition-tag-on-center-alex-mack/

 

There is still a chance for the Colts to go after him though.

 

"The transition tag guarantees the average of the top 10-highest-paid players at his position, and for offensive linemen, that’s $10.039 million. The franchise tag would have cost $11.654 million.

 

It gives the Browns the right to match any offer Mack gets on the open market, but no compensation if he leaves."

 

I believe the Browns would have 7 days to match any offer made.

[arkana04]

No there's no chance the colts go after him now. 

[Valpo2004]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/03/03/browns-use-transition-tag-on-center-alex-mack/

 

There is still a chance for the Colts to go after him though.

 

"The transition tag guarantees the average of the top 10-highest-paid players at his position, and for offensive linemen, that’s $10.039 million. The franchise tag would have cost $11.654 million.

 

It gives the Browns the right to match any offer Mack gets on the open market, but no compensation if he leaves."

 

I believe the Browns would have 7 days to match any offer made.

 

They have the cap space to match any offer we put out there.  So it makes us getting him pretty unlikely.

 

Also in order to get him I think we would have to offer more then the tag amount of 10 million.  At that point offering that much for a center is just not worth it.  

[Colts_Fan12]

I still hope we get a shot at EDS

[Insert Colts Pun Here]

They have the cap space to match any offer we put out there.  So it makes us getting him pretty unlikely.

 

Also in order to get him I think we would have to offer more then the tag amount of 10 million.  At that point offering that much for a center is just not worth it.  

 

It is if Satele is your current starter.

[SilentHill]

10 million for a Center for 1 year?

 

Are they crazy?

[Thewholefnshow28]

10 million for a Center for 1 year?

 

Are they crazy?

 

Considering that is the average of the top best centers in the league no they are not.  Mack is easily one of the best centers in the league and this gives them some time to negotiate a long term deal with him and they can match any offer that comes his way.

 

This definitely hurts our chances at getting him as I do not see us making a reckless offer so the browns will more than likely match.

 

I was hoping the Browns were dumb enough to let him free agency so we could nab him.

[jvan1973]

It is if Satele is your current starter.

No center is worth that much.

[CR91]

I do not want us spending a 4th of our cap on a center

[SilentHill]

Considering that is the average of the top best centers in the league no they are not.  Mack is easily one of the best centers in the league and this gives them some time to negotiate a long term deal with him and they can match any offer that comes his way.

 

This definitely hurts our chances at getting him as I do not see us making a reckless offer so the browns will more than likely match.

 

I was hoping the Browns were dumb enough to let him free agency so we could nab him.

 

No it's not.

 

It's the average of the to 10 offensive lineman.

 

Alex Mack is currently the highest paid center in the NFL (by about 2 million dollars)

 

 

If I'm Mack I sign the tag, and make out like a bandit and do it all over again next year.

[Dustin]

Considering that is the average of the top best centers in the league no they are not.

The highest paid center in the NFL makes ~$8M a year.

[Superman]

I do not want us spending a 4th of our cap on a center

 

Huh?

[Junior]

So say Team (a) offers Mack a contract, the Browns then match it. Does he gets to chose who he signs without of the two teams or must he resign with the browns for that offer?

[OffensivelyPC]

No it's not.

 

It's the average of the to 10 offensive lineman.

 

Alex Mack is currently the highest paid center in the NFL (by about 2 million dollars)

 

 

If I'm Mack I sign the tag, and make out like a bandit and do it all over again next year.

I'm still a bit reluctant to sign the tag.  No long term guarantees, always a bad thing if you get injured during a tag year.

[jvan1973]

I do not want us spending a 4th of our cap on a center

You may want to check the math on that

[Superman]

So say Team (a) offers Mack a contract, the Browns then match it. Does he gets to chose who he signs without of the two teams or must he resign with the browns for that offer?

 

The Browns match and keep him.

[SilentHill]

I'm still a bit reluctant to sign the tag.  No long term guarantees, always a bad thing if you get injured during a tag year.

 

I know it's a little risky, but how often do Centers go down with season ending injuries.

 

If I was Mack, I'd sign it. No way the Browns even come close to offering 10m/yr in a standard contract. I figure the most he'd get is around 7 million /yr

 

edit: Plus the Browns are in transition. The only way you sacrifice money is for Rings. I'd let it ride for a year to see how the new regime is handled.

[OffensivelyPC]

I know it's a little risky, but how often do Centers go down with season ending injuries.

 

If I was Mack, I'd sign it. No way the Browns even come close to offering 10m/yr in a standard contract. I figure the most he'd get is around 7 million /yr

Same way it happened to Maurkice Pouncey.  I know you're playing the probabilities, and I mean, probably, Mack makes it through the season without any serious injury, but it's still a risk, nonetheless.

[BpG]

The Browns are hedging their bets that teams won't offer him a $10m / year deal. That is what he was rumored to be seeking and from the sound of it, browns brass aren't willing to just give him that money without some sort of proof another team would sign him for that.

 

It's a smart move, he either A) gets an offer and we match (likely less than 10m per) or B) No one offers him anything and he re-signs with the Browns or C) he doesn't sign the tag and holds out 

[Valpo2004]

I'm still a bit reluctant to sign the tag.  No long term guarantees, always a bad thing if you get injured during a tag year.

 

So here is something I don't understand.  What happens if you don't sign the tag?  

[Gavin]

No center is worth that much.

Until you get stuck with the countless Samson Sateles in the NFL. It was worth it given there cap space, They cant afford to be out:

 

1.A very good Center

2.Possibly a premiere Safety

3.A legit starting QB

4.A starting ILB

5.A legit #2 WR

[BpG]

So here is something I don't understand.  What happens if you don't sign the tag?  

 

You don't play (Hold out).

[jvan1973]

Until you get stuck with the countless Samson Sateles in the NFL. It was worth it given there cap space, They cant afford to be out:

1.A very good Center

2.Possibly a premiere Safety

3.A legit starting QB

4.A starting ILB

5.A legit #2 WR

Quick, name every center that makes 10 million a season

[BpG]

Quick, name every center that makes 10 million a season

 

What is the likelihood not one single team makes him an offer?

 

 

That's how likely it is that he will be making 10m next season. 

[Gavin]

Quick, name every center that makes 10 million a season

Great players cost money, Ill take 1 year  of Mack at 10 mill over 3 years of Satele for the same price, Having good O Linemen is vital

[ponyboy]

Is it still possible to create a "poison pill" clauses in contracts to make the match almost impossible for the Browns?   I'm suspect you can't do that in the league today but the Colts did that to get Will Wolford under the transition tag from the Bills a long time ago.   A clause in the contract said something like he had to be the highest paid offensive player on the team for the first year.  The Bills were already paying Jim Kelley much more and couldn't match.

 

Put a clause in there that says you must be snapping to a QB with a horseshoe on his helmet

[jvan1973]

What is the likelihood not one single team makes him an offer?

That's how likely it is that he will be making 10m next season.

Why would any team want to help the browns? They know the browns have a chance to match it. Plus he would have to agree to the offer. He isn't going to sign a low dollar contract. He will cost the browns 10 million this season

[jvan1973]

Great players cost money, Ill take 1 year of Mack at 10 mill over 3 years of Satele for the same price, Having good O Linemen is vital

The browns aren't winning the Superbowl this year. Mack isn't the difference maker to get them over the hump

[BpG]

Is it still possible to create a "poison pill" clauses in contracts to make the match almost impossible for the Browns?   I'm suspect you can't do that in the league today but the Colts did that to get Will Wolford under the transition tag from the Bills a long time ago.   A clause in the contract said something like he had to be the highest paid offensive player on the team for the first year.  The Bills were already paying Jim Kelley much more and couldn't match.

 

Put a clause in there that says you must be snapping to a QB with a horseshoe on his helmet

 

Nah they took that out during one of the CBA negotiations. 

[BpG]

Why would any team want to help the browns? They know the browns have a chance to match it. Plus he would have to agree to the offer. He isn't going to sign a low dollar contract. He will cost the browns 10 million this season

 

It's not "helping" the Browns, it's on the off chance you would get stuck with that contract. If he's worth 10 million, that's fine, but if he isn't worth 10 mill and some team offers him 10 mil, they could get stuck with that contract. The Browns do not have to match. 

 

So while teams would like to drive up the price, they also have to take into account, you bid too high and he's YOUR overpaid center. 

[jvan1973]

It's not "helping" the Browns, it's on the off chance you would get stuck with that contract. If he's worth 10 million, that's fine, but if he isn't worth 10 mill and some team offers him 10 mil, they could get stuck with that contract. The Browns do not have to match.

So while teams would like to drive up the price, they also have to take into account, you bid too high and he's YOUR overpaid center.

No other team is going to pay him 10 million a year

[BpG]

No other team is going to pay him 10 million a year

 

That's exactly my point. 

[jvan1973]

Do you have a reading comprehension issue? That's exactly my point.

Exactly, so the browns will be paying him 10 million a year. Which goes back to my original statement. No center is worth 10 million a year

[Gavin]

The browns aren't winning the Superbowl this year. Mack isn't the difference maker to get them over the hump

your missing the point. you dont just let a young all pro center go when you dont have much else on that side of the ball to begin with, you might as well blow the team up if that happens cause outside of a LT and 1 WR and TE thats what your going to do on that side of the ball, That dont even account for if you lose Ward on defense (Though he is much easier to replace in this draft then Mack)...The Browns aren't that far off if they could find a QB 

[OffensivelyPC]

So here is something I don't understand.  What happens if you don't sign the tag?  

They have incentive to sign the tender.  They can refuse to sign, refuse to play, but then they would just be a restricted free agent again the following season and the team would still hold all the rights to the player.  Plus, if the player doesn't sign, and doesn't play, he won't be paid, and I'm pretty sure that he would be considered a no show in some form or fashion and could thus be fined by the team (don't quote me on the fine bit, but he certainly would be sitting out a season).

 

So the player has incentive to play along and sign the franchise, at which point, they can still negotiate a contract extension with the team until like June 15 or something, or the player can request a trade. 

[BpG]

Exactly, so the browns will be paying him 10 million a year. Which goes back to my original statement. No center is worth 10 million a year

 

 

You have absolutely no idea how the Transition tag works.

 

Let me TRY to explain.

 

• Any team can TRY to sign him.
• Whatever teams he wants to "accept" an offer from we can match.
• If no teams make an offer, he can negotiate with the Browns
• If he decides not to sign, he can play ONE! ONE! season at 10 million

 

If no team will offer him 10 million, there is absolutely no way he is getting 10 million dollars per year unless it is a one year contract. It's not 10 million dollar a year, it;s 10 for one year, if all else fails. 

[bavanlan]

Is it still possible to create a "poison pill" clauses in contracts to make the match almost impossible for the Browns?   I'm suspect you can't do that in the league today but the Colts did that to get Will Wolford under the transition tag from the Bills a long time ago.   A clause in the contract said something like he had to be the highest paid offensive player on the team for the first year.  The Bills were already paying Jim Kelley much more and couldn't match.

 

Put a clause in there that says you must be snapping to a QB with a horseshoe on his helmet

 

Or Steve Hutchinson, where he he had to be the highest paid OL on a team with Walter Jones.

 

And then the revenge Burleson contract, which had a poison pill for playing X number of games in Minnesota.

[jvan1973]

You have absolutely no idea how the Transition tag works.

Let me TRY to explain.

• Any team can TRY to sign him.
• Whatever teams he wants to "accept" an offer from we can match.
• If no teams make an offer, he can negotiate with the Browns
• If he decides not to sign, he can play ONE! ONE! season at 10 million

If no team will offer him 10 million, there is absolutely no way he is getting 10 million dollars per year unless it is a one year contract. It's not 10 million dollar a year, it;s 10 for one year, if all else fails.

10 million for one season = 10 million A year.

[Gavin]

You have absolutely no idea how the Transition tag works.

 

Let me TRY to explain.

 

• Any team can TRY to sign him.
• Whatever teams he wants to "accept" an offer from we can match.
• If no teams make an offer, he can negotiate with the Browns
• If he decides not to sign, he can play ONE! ONE! season at 10 million

 

If no team will offer him 10 million, there is absolutely no way he is getting 10 million dollars per year unless it is a one year contract. It's not 10 million dollar a year, it;s 10 for one year, if all else fails. 

Very worth it, especially since the Browns have even bigger fish to fry, like finding that QB that can lead your team into the future 

[bavanlan]

This is an *ic move by the Browns.  For $1M more, they could have used the franchise tag and have been able to negotiate SOME compensation if he wanted to sign elsewhere.