The Cleveland Browns are facing the possibility of losing center Alex Mack to free agency and limited options to replace him on the field.
While it came as no surprise that Cleveland Browns center Alex Mack opted out of the final three years of his contract on Wednesday to become a free agent, that doesn’t mean the Browns have an easy solution in hand.
The easiest path is to simply suck it up and sign Mack to a contract that makes him the highest paid center in the NFL, which is what he is most likely going to be, whether it is in Cleveland or somewhere else. With around $48 million in salary cap space, that is a realistic option for the Browns, especially since Mack may be open to staying in town.
“For the first time in his career, Alex is a free agent,” Tim Younger, one of Mack’s agents, told ohio.com via email. “He has earned the right to choose his next spot — and returning to Cleveland is certainly very possible. He is connected here. That’s why it was important to him to visit last week, and he enjoyed his visit.”
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A new deal for Mack will reportedly make him the league’s first $10 million a year center, surpassing the deal of current Miami Dolphins’ center Mike Pouncey, who is the current top-paid center with an average annual salary of $8.95 million. Mack is tougher and better than Pouncey, so giving Mack a contract that exceeds Pouncey’s should not be an issue.
However, if the Browns pay Mack it could make it difficult to come up with a contract to keep right tackle Mitchell Schwartz, who is also scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent when the new league year begins on March 9. But, similar to the situation with Schwartz, the options of replacing Mack are not that enticing.
If we have seen the last of Mack in a Cleveland uniform, here are five options the Browns can look at to fill the huge hole in the center of the line that Mack will leave behind.
Next: Cameron Erving
Former general manager Ray Farmer made the surprise move of selecting Cameron Erving in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft with the Browns having other holes to fill outside of the offensive line. The idea, presumably, was that Erving would represent an insurance policy in case Mack left in free agency and, if not, then Erving would provide depth along the offensive line at numerous positions.
It didn’t work out so well for Erving during his rookie year as he had major struggles in just about every area imaginable for an offensive lineman and only found his way into the lineup due to injuries. Even that was short-lived as he was replaced by Austin Pasztor, who entered the league in 2012 as an undrafted free agent.
Erving will have the advantage of a full offseason to refine his technique and work on his strength, plus going through a second year of minicamps, OTAs and training camp, which can only help. It still could be a lot to ask for Erving to not only figure out the basics of line play at the NFL level, but also to be responsible for making the line calls as the starting center.
If the Browns are not quite ready to turn things over to Erving, they could slide John Greco over to center – a position he temporarily filled when Mack went down with an injury in 2014 – and then let Erving and Pasztor battle it out to fill Greco’s vacated right guard slot.
Next: Manuel Ramirez
If the Browns are not comfortable turning over the center position to Cameron Erving, and don’t want to disrupt the right guard spot by moving John Greco, they could take a look at Detroit Lions center Manuel Ramirez.
Ramirez is a versatile player who can play center or either guard position, making him a valuable addition as either a starter or an insurance policy so the team doesn’t have to rush Erving into the lineup and risk having another year of multiple quarterback injuries.
Ramirez only made seven starts for the Lions in 2015, but was the team’s highest-graded offensive lineman, and third-higheset graded offensive player overall, according to Pro Football Focus. The site also rated him highly as a pass blocker after seeing him give up just eight combined pressures in 502 offensive snaps.
At age 32 Ramirez would not be a longterm solution, but he has experience in the mentor role after working last season with Laken Tomlinson, Travis Swanson and Larry Warford in Detroit, so that’s a plus in his favor as well.
Next: Stefen Wisniewski
If the Browns are not interested in Ramirez, they may want to take a look at center Stefen Wisniewski, who is a free agent after spending a year with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Wisniewski may not have had his best season in 2015, but he has earned a positive grade from Pro Football Focus as a pass protector in four of his past five seasons and has missed just 19 offensive snaps during his five-year career.
He is also just about to turn 27, meaning he should be able to perform at a solid level for at least the length of a free agent contract. Wisniewski was a second-round draft pick in 2011 by the Oakland Raiders – who were coached that year by Hue Jackson – so Wieniewski should be familiar with Jackson’s offense.
Wisniewski may not be the type of signing that wins offseason headlines, but he is a dependable pro that can help teams win during the regular season when it matters.
Next: Alabama's Ryan Kelly
If the Browns do not like their free agent options, they could look to the 2016 NFL Draft, although to get a decent center they would have to grab one with their second-round pick, the 32nd overall selection.
The top of the list is Alabama center Ryan Kelly, a consensus first-team All-SEC selection after helping pave the way for Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry during the Crimson Tide’s run to the national championship. Kelly, who is 6-foot-5 and 300-pounds, is described as a “player with tons of grit and fight … who shows the toughness to scrap it out against nose guards,” always a good quality for the AFC North.
Kelly, who received his master’s degree in marketing in December, was named the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, meaning that he should fit in with the Browns’ new cerebral approach, and won the SEC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy. He also said he benefitted from being a redshirt senior for the nation’s top college program..
“The fifth year was huge for me,” Kelly told alabama.com. “This year, I finally learned how to play overall with power, more consistent, and that’s what I needed to do for the offense.”
According to his draft profile at NFL.com, Kelly is a:
"Tenacious leader and three-year starter for highly successful Alabama program that puts a heavy emphasis on physical and mental toughness. Kelly might not be a combine warrior, but when the pads are strapped, he plays with enough strength and athleticism to thrive in both gap and zone running schemes. While he could use more mass on his frame, Kelly has the necessary skill set and football intelligence to step in and challenge for a starting position right away."
Kelly is an attractive player for a team that may need a center, but with some projections putting him at the bottom of the first round or top of the second, if the Browns want him they may need to either make a move back into the first round of grab him as soon as the second round opens.
Next: Michigan State's Jack Allen
If the Browns believe that their pick in the second round could be used on a position other than center, they may consider Michigan State’s Jack Allen, who is projected as a third- or fourth-round selection.
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A four-year starter for the Spartans, Allen is a two-time All-American and made 42 career starts at center. As a former high school wrestling state champion, understands the properties of using leverage along the offensive line – something that Cameron Erving is still struggling to grasp.
A four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, the 6-foot-1, 294-pound Allen should also have the smarts to fit in with the Browns and grasp the complexities of NFL line play.
“He sets the tone,” offensive linemate Jack Conklin told USA Today. “A lot of times he sets up the blocking schemes for not only the offensive line but the running backs and even occasionally the receivers. He’s a guy we look to on the offense a lot during games. He’s really taken on the role of being a verbal leader and getting on guys if something isn’t going right. He’ll get on someone and bring them back into the game.”
According to his draft profile at NFL.com:
"Despite having a cat named “Bubbles,” Allen is a coach’s dream with the leadership, competitiveness and the tenacious mindset to grind out the will of defenders by the end of the fourth quarter. While there are clearly some athletic limitations, Allen is especially adept at minimizing those while accentuating his strengths. There are too many check marks in his favor to expect him to fall short of an NFL career as an eventual starter."
It may be difficult to do, and we all have former general manager Ray Farmer to thank for bungling Mack’s last contract negotiations, but the Browns need to figure out a way to keep Mack. The idea of trying to get the offense on track, especially with the possibility of having a rookie quarterback, without Mack anchoring the line is just not one that the Browns should be willing to entertain.