Adam Schefter is reporting that Alex Mack has signed his five-year, $42 million offer sheet from the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Browns transition-tagged center Alex Mack signed his five-year, $42M offer sheet that includes $26M guaranteed with the Jaguars.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 11, 2014
The Browns will have five days to match the offer and all signs point to Mack preferring that the Browns not sign it. The deal will make Mack the NFL’s highest-paid center by a wide margin, according to reports.
Alex Mack's offer sheet with Jags that the Browns now have 5 days to match pats him $10M this season and $8M in the four season after.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 11, 2014
Carolina Panthers center Ryan Kalil’s contract averages about $8.2 million per year. Several reports say that regardless of how stacked the contract is, the Browns will match it.
Reports of $22 million guaranteed on a long-term deal won’t be enough to scare off the Browns. The devil is in the detail. It’s the length of the deal, combined with such high guarantees, that would truly make the Browns fret. Considering the Browns already have a one-year tender on the table for over $10 million — crazy money for a center — $22 million guaranteed over the course of a long-term deal is a palatable pill for the Browns to swallow.