Alex Mack not likely getting away from Browns

The Cleveland Browns will likely match any offer made for center Alex Mack.

Mack, who received the transition tag last month, has not received a contract offer from another team yet. The Jacksonville Jaguars may make an offer to Mack, but that the Browns are likely to match, according to owner Jimmy Haslam.

"We remain optimistic that Alex Mack will be a Cleveland Brown for a long time,'' Haslam said. "We want him to be. I think we've made it very clear that he's the kind of person, the kind of player we want in our organization.'

If Mack signs the transition tender, he'll make a guaranteed $10.039 million for 2014, which would make him the highest paid center in the league.

His first know free agency visit came this past Friday when the Jaguars hosted him, and reports of a potential contract offer came soon thereafter. The Jaguars, who have more than $25 million in cap space, need to replace retired center Brad Meester.

Almost as soon as those reports came, so too did reports that the Browns were prepared to match those offers. The Browns have around $30 million in cap space, so it would be hard for the Jags to construct any offer they won't match.

Mack is just far too valuable to the Browns, and they can't afford to suffer a loss like that of Mack after suffering through a 4-12 season.

Ironically enough, both teams are in the market for a new QB high in this year's NFL Draft, so having an All-Pro center like Mack to help their NFL transition would be nice.