I'm glad we targeted him, but I must say if those contract numbers were accurate, I am disappointed in the contract we offered to try and get it done. Very uninspiring effort. The least they could have done was be somewhat creative in the attempt to give Cleveland something to ponder. I expected smarter out of us. 

 

Money wasn't the issue, though.  There wasn't an amount that we could offer him that would blow Cleveland away.  The only thing that matters will be the guarantees and any gimmicks they insert, like the opt-out after two.  Your only "winning" strategy here is to guarantee him enough money that Cleveland will be hamstrung in a couple years when they have to resign Haden and Gordon.  

 

Offering Mack $20mil+ guaranteed over the next two years and then an opt-out is pretty much the best we can do in the situation.  It makes Cleveland pay him a ton during the two years they will need the cash to resign others, and at the same time prevents them from getting long-term security with him.  Their intent with the transition tag was to trap another team into offering him a long contract and match it to keep him in Cleveland long term.  They knew he didn't want to stay, and they knew that it wasn't viable to franchise him multiple times.  The only way they could get him long term is to bait another team into signing him to a longer deal and then match it.  They want the long term security, and this offer doesn't give it to them. It also makes them pay a ton for the only two years they'd definitely have him.

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In case you haven't kept up with the NFL news in the past couple of months, the owner has absolutely no idea what he is doing. The entire front office is the laughing stock of the league. Sans the coaching/GM debacle, the federal indictments and players openly stating they don't want to play for the organization.

Of which Browns players are you referring to exactly?

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Money wasn't the issue, though.  There wasn't an amount that we could offer him that would blow Cleveland away.  The only thing that matters will be the guarantees and any gimmicks they insert, like the opt-out after two.  Your only "winning" strategy here is to guarantee him enough money that Cleveland will be hamstrung in a couple years when they have to resign Haden and Gordon.  

 

Offering Mack $20mil+ guaranteed over the next two years and then an opt-out is pretty much the best we can do in the situation.  It makes Cleveland pay him a ton during the two years they will need the cash to resign others, and at the same time prevents them from getting long-term security with him.  Their intent with the transition tag was to trap another team into offering him a long contract and match it to keep him in Cleveland long term.  They knew he didn't want to stay, and they knew that it wasn't viable to franchise him multiple times.  The only way they could get him long term is to bait another team into signing him to a longer deal and then match it.  They want the long term security, and this offer doesn't give it to them. It also makes them pay a ton for the only two years they'd definitely have him.

 

Bingo.

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Of which Browns players are you referring to exactly?

The player in which this thread is about.

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"Before you criticize a man, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, if he gets angry, he's a mile away and barefoot."

Hello to all you great Jags fans. Let me start by saying I'm from Delta Ohio and a Browns fan. There is no way in my opinion that that the Browns won't match any offer the Jags make (If they actually do) for Mack. There are 32 owners in the NFL and it's an exclusive club. Don't you find it odd that the Jags are the only team interested in a PB Center? My guess is if they do make an offer it would be in the range of 5 years for 50 million with 25 million Gauranteed. Probably what the Browns want to pay. Doesn't make sense for the Jags to try and put the Browns in a bad situation when they have to know payback would be comming.

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Money wasn't the issue, though.  There wasn't an amount that we could offer him that would blow Cleveland away.  The only thing that matters will be the guarantees and any gimmicks they insert, like the opt-out after two.  Your only "winning" strategy here is to guarantee him enough money that Cleveland will be hamstrung in a couple years when they have to resign Haden and Gordon.  

 

Offering Mack $20mil+ guaranteed over the next two years and then an opt-out is pretty much the best we can do in the situation.  It makes Cleveland pay him a ton during the two years they will need the cash to resign others, and at the same time prevents them from getting long-term security with him.  Their intent with the transition tag was to trap another team into offering him a long contract and match it to keep him in Cleveland long term.  They knew he didn't want to stay, and they knew that it wasn't viable to franchise him multiple times.  The only way they could get him long term is to bait another team into signing him to a longer deal and then match it.  They want the long term security, and this offer doesn't give it to them. It also makes them pay a ton for the only two years they'd definitely have him.

And if the Jags do that and the Browns don't match it and Mack has a career ending injury do you really think the Jags want to take that risk? He's been lucky so far but remember the saying, NFL= Not for Long. BTW my guess is the Browns will match anything the Jags offer and then have a long memorie of this.

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Hello to all you great Jags fans. Let me start by saying I'm from Delta Ohio and a Browns fan. There is no way in my opinion that that the Browns won't match any offer the Jags make (If they actually do) for Mack. There are 32 owners in the NFL and it's an exclusive club. Don't you find it odd that the Jags are the only team interested in a PB Center? My guess is if they do make an offer it would be in the range of 5 years for 50 million with 25 million Gauranteed. Probably what the Browns want to pay. Doesn't make sense for the Jags to try and put the Browns in a bad situation when they have to know payback would be comming.

Payback in what form? I don't think any other team is stupid enough to use the transition tag. 

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If the Browns are so likely to match, why didnt they just make Mack the highest paid center in the league to begin with? 

 

Also, its reported he would rather play in Jacksonville. Why would you want to give so much money to a player who doesnt want to be there. That doesnt work out well in most cases. 

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Payback in what form? I don't think any other team is stupid enough to use the transition tag. 

That's not true. Cincy put it on Hawkins who the Browns picked up at a reasonable offer that the Bengals didn't care to match.

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The player in which this thread is about.

I never seen such a quote from Mack, maybe you saw something I didn't.

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That's not true. Cincy put it on Hawkins who the Browns picked up at a reasonable offer that the Bengals didn't care to match.

Hawkins wasn't a transition tag.

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If the Browns are so likely to match, why didnt they just make Mack the highest paid center in the league to begin with? 

 

Also, its reported he would rather play in Jacksonville. Why would you want to give so much money to a player who doesnt want to be there. That doesnt work out well in most cases. 

Mack is a professional, I would expect him to play at a high level. Its of no interest to a player to play crappy on the field for two reasons. One, that can lead to injury. Two, it lowers your value when you do become a free agent. And with the transition tag they did make him highest paid center. As to the particulars of a long term deal I dont know what the Browns offered and what Mack was seeking etc....

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If the Browns are so likely to match, why didnt they just make Mack the highest paid center in the league to begin with? 

 

Also, its reported he would rather play in Jacksonville. Why would you want to give so much money to a player who doesnt want to be there. That doesnt work out well in most cases. 

LOL. Last year it was reported he wanted to be a Brown for life. He's from California and have heard hes a big 49ers fan. He could end up taking both of us for a ride. lol If the Jags want to spend 20+mil for a guy that wants a 2yr opt out contract you will see him telling you Bye Bye and lets face it our teams are drafting 3rd and 4th for a reason.

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And if the Jags do that and the Browns don't match it and Mack has a career ending injury do you really think the Jags want to take that risk? He's been lucky so far but remember the saying, NFL= Not for Long. BTW my guess is the Browns will match anything the Jags offer and then have a long memorie of this.

 

That's the downside for giving ANY player guaranteed money.  It's why the players want it and the teams don't want to give it to them.  The Jags are willing to gamble with Mack, a player who is still young for the position and has no history of injuries.  The risk is there with ANYONE in the NFL.

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LOL. Last year it was reported he wanted to be a Brown for life. He's from California and have heard hes a big 49ers fan. He could end up taking both of us for a ride. lol If the Jags want to spend 20+mil for a guy that wants a 2yr opt out contract you will see him telling you Bye Bye and lets face it our teams are drafting 3rd and 4th for a reason.

 

The opt out will be re-negotiated out of his deal if the Browns don't match.  After year one, the Jags will re-negotiate with him and give him more money up front in exchange for the removal of that option from the contract.  

 

They can't admit to that right now because it would violate the CBA, but there's almost definitely a "wink-wink" between Mack and the Jags FO involving him either promising not to opt out after 2 with Jacksonville or promising to re-negotiate it away in exchange for X million more roster bonus in year three.

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LOL. Last year it was reported he wanted to be a Brown for life. He's from California and have heard hes a big 49ers fan. He could end up taking both of us for a ride. lol If the Jags want to spend 20+mil for a guy that wants a 2yr opt out contract you will see him telling you Bye Bye and lets face it our teams are drafting 3rd and 4th for a reason.

 

Well it was reported a couple hours ago he would rather play in Jacksonville. 

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That's the downside for giving ANY player guaranteed money.  It's why the players want it and the teams don't want to give it to them.  The Jags are willing to gamble with Mack, a player who is still young for the position and has no history of injuries.  The risk is there with ANYONE in the NFL.

Mack played after having his appendix taken out during the season, while injuries are always possible, I think his durability is as good as anyone could hope for at this position.

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Mack is a professional, I would expect him to play at a high level. Its of no interest to a player to play crappy on the field for two reasons. One, that can lead to injury. Two, it lowers your value when you do become a free agent. And with the transition tag they did make him highest paid center. As to the particulars of a long term deal I dont know what the Browns offered and what Mack was seeking etc....

From what I've heard there wasn't an offer because his agent wants him to become a FA. I think he's making a huge mistake. While the Browns have been disfunctional since comming back I think they have finally got it right. We have 10 picks in this draft. Our D is on the rise and Hoyer has the potential to a very good QB. If the Browns get Sammy Watkins to go with Josh Gordon and our TE Cammeron then good luck trying to stop that.

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Well it was reported a couple hours ago he would rather play in Jacksonville. 

Well duh, what do you think hes going to say? Give me 20 million over the next 2 yrs then im heading for San Francisco? He wants a SB ring. Who do you think has the better chance the Jags, Browns or 49ers?

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From what I've heard there wasn't an offer because his agent wants him to become a FA. I think he's making a huge mistake. While the Browns have been disfunctional since comming back I think they have finally got it right. We have 10 picks in this draft. Our D is on the rise and Hoyer has the potential to a very good QB. If the Browns get Sammy Watkins to go with Josh Gordon and our TE Cammeron then good luck trying to stop that.

Well I am sure there was an offer or some sort, how much that offered was discussed etc is unknown. There are reports of continued talks between the Browns and Mack even as he was visiting the Jags. It would be unethical for an agent to not listen to an offer unless his client said no way which we know is not the case because Haslam and the coach went to talk to him directly before free agency opened and nothing of the sort that you are mentioned was reported.

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