Update: Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo have tweeted the details of the offer sheet that Mack will sign on Friday
Here is #Jaguars offer sheet Alex Mack will be signing tomorrow: 5 years, $42M. It’s $18M over 2 with player option after ’15. Can’t tag him
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 10, 2014
Because of the timing of the void after 2 years of Alex Mack’s deal, the team — Browns or Jags — can’t tag him after 2015. That’s big
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 10, 2014
Now here's another wrinkle: Mack gets $8 million FULLY guaranteed in Year 3 if he doesn't void after 2 years. So that's up to $26m in gtd $.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) April 10, 2014
Alex Mack agreed to the terms of an offer sheet with the Jacksonville Jaguars that he will sign on Friday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, officially starting the five-day timer for the Cleveland Browns to match the offer and retain the rights to the two-time Pro Bowl center.
While there has been speculation that the Jaguars will use a very creatively designed contract to dissuade the Browns from matching, reports from various media outlets say that the deal is much more straight-forward than initial thought. Full details of the deal have not yet been released, but it would make Mack the highest-paid center in the NFL.
That's not particularly surprising considering the transition tag payment due to Mack already made him the highest-paid center and it was unlikely that he would sign an offer sheet that would cut into that pay. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Mack will get an average of $9-10 million in each of his first two seasons of the new contract:
According to the source, the deal pays out roughly $18 million to $20 million over the first two years, fully guaranteed. Over three, it's in the ballpark of $27 million, guaranteed.
Without much in the way of giant bonuses as previously speculated by Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, the Jaguars are reportedly aware of the real possibility of Mack staying in Cleveland. The team thinks it's a 50-50 chance that the Browns match the offer, according to Florio.
Even if they do though, they might not lock down Mack for the long-term like they hope to, as there is reportedly a player void option after two years. That could be a scary option for the Browns, who likely won't have to much to gain from paying a center $20 million over only two years while the team isn't exactly ready to compete for a Super Bowl in 2014.
When Mack's contract is signed on Friday, the Browns will have until Wednesday to match the offer.