Alex Mack is reportedly going to opt out of his final three years with the Cleveland Browns.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Cleveland Browns Pro Bowl center Alex Mack is ready to test free agency.
Browns C Alex Mack is voiding the 3 years remaining on his contract and is set to become a free agent, per source. One more free agent OL.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 2, 2016
While the Browns have not come anywhere close to sniffing an AFC playoffs berth in Mack’s seven seasons with Cleveland, the Browns surprisingly have had one of the NFL’s best offensive lines the last few years, despite continued atrocious play from the quarterback position.
Mack is a three-time Pro Bowler at center for the Browns and has two fantastic tackles with him up front in left tackle Joe Thomas and right tackle Mitchell Schwartz. With Cleveland certainly looking for another franchise quarterback at No. 2 in the 2016 NFL Draft, there is a possibility that the dominant offensive line trio in Cleveland decides to stick it out to see if either Carson Wentz or Jared Goff can help turnaround their hapless AFC North franchise’s fortunes.
Mack is 30 years old and still in his prime as an offensive lineman. A few years ago, he entered restricted free agency and nearly signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars before the Browns organization matched the Jaguars’ offer.
What makes Mack’s decision to enter free agency so intriguing is that he could potentially become the first center in NFL history to command $10 million annually on his new deal. Given that he’s anchored on the best offensive lines in football the last few years, some team that is in dire need of an upgrade at center will certainly like to pay Mack handsomely.
He now emerges as one of the biggest names available as a free agent this NFL offseason. Whoever ends up signing Mack will have a major boost on their interior their offensive line. Him potentially leaving Cleveland does not bode well for the franchise quarterback the Browns will take at No. 2. There is little worse than having a constantly collapsing pocket devastating a young NFL arm because of a leaky interior offensive line. Mack is about to get paid!