Report: Alex Mack to sign with Atlanta Falcons
Several reports are confirming that Alex Mack has agreed to a five-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons.
Things have gone from bad to worse for the Cleveland Browns at the start of NFL free agency.
Travis Benjamin has already gone to the San Diego Chargers, and the latest news is that Alex Mack is agreeing to a deal with the Atlanta Falcons.
#Browns C Alex Mack is headed to the #Falcons, source said. The 5-year deal is being finalized.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 9, 2016
Mack leaving for Atlanta creates a major problem for the center of the offensive line. Cameron Erving is currently the starting center for the Browns. Yes, the same Erving who got knocked to the ground more than any NFL offensive lineman should.
It was known that keeping Mack would be difficult, but there is another part of the story that makes him leaving much worse.
Ex-Cle center Alex Mack will average @$9.5m in Atlanta deal. Could have made 500k more on ave in Cleve. Atl OC KShanahan a factor for Mack.
— Peter King (@peter_king) March 9, 2016
Mack taking less money to get out of Cleveland shows just how difficult it will be to retain or bring in any talent during this free agency period.
Anyone willing to lose potential earnings to leave a team shows that things are still a mess in Cleveland. Mack was an anchor on a rather skilled offensive line, and his absence will be noticeable once camp begins this summer.
More bad news comes with the reports of the Browns taking back their offer to Mitchell Schwartz.
I'm told the Browns had an offer on the table for RT Mitchell Schwartz... and pulled it. Source close to Schwartz.
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) March 9, 2016
This just draws questions of what exactly the front office is doing.
Losing Benjamin did not do much damage. But losing Mack, and then pulling Schwartz’s offer just seems like madness at this point. If this team wants to draft a quarterback in the draft, they need to have a line to block for him.
Joe Thomas is still one of the best in the game, but he cannot take care of the middle and right side of the line.
The only way the Browns can salvage this situation is to somehow fix things and give Schwartz an offer to sign. If he leaves, the Browns will have no chance of signing any offensive talent this free agency period.
Next: Report: Travis Benjamin to sign with San Diego Chargers
The Cleveland Browns will open free agency today with a little more than $48 million in salary cap space to spend. Follow Dawg Pound Daily for all the latest news on free agency as the Browns work to rebuild their roster.