Alex Mack returned to Cleveland after the Browns chose to match the offer sheet the stud center signed with the Jaguars. With Mack coming back from his broken leg — teammates believe this could be it for him in Cleveland.
“I haven’t really had any conversations with Alex, but I will say I’m sure there’s a reason he put that clause in his contract, because this is going to be an important year for the Browns to prove the things they said to him during the recruiting process, prove they were true,” left tackle Joe Thomas told Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland. “So I imagine that we’re going to have to have a good season, we’re going to have to show to Alex that we’re moving in the right direction, or I’m sure he’ll probably, . . . there’s no downside to declaring himself a free agent after this year because worst-case scenario, I guess, he can just resign with the Browns if he wanted.
“So I wouldn’t be surprised if he decides to opt out and become a free agent at the end of the year.
“Maybe he just signs right back with the Browns for more money, I don’t know. I just know that having the player’s option to opt out rather than strictly only the club, which is kind of the way everything is set up right now, it’s great for the players and I’d like to see more players across the league get that type of language in their contract because it gives the players some power that if the team’s not following through on their side of the bargain, that the players can walk and go somewhere else.”