Is Alex Mack already planning for life after Cleveland?
"I'm going to defer," Mack said, per The Plain Dealer. "I'll talk about that at the end of the season."
Mack still has three years left on the deal, but his opt-out clause was built into the offer sheet he signed with the Jaguars last offseason as a player under the transition tag. Cleveland matched the pact, but the lineman's freedom is closing in.
Mack insists he has "absolutely not" made a decision about his future, even after the Browns used the No. 19 overall pick on Florida State offensive lineman Cameron Erving, viewed by many as the heir apparent if Mack bolts.
"Let's play the games, let's see how the season goes," Mack said, making it clear that he's tired of finishing last in the AFC North. "I definitely want to win games. It's very important to me. No one likes losing. Across any job, anything, at all times. It's tough, without a doubt."
Coming off a broken fibula, Mack's return solidifies a ground game in Cleveland that shriveled up after he was lost for the year in October.
Erving's presence alone shouldn't prevent the Browns from pursuing a long-term agreement with one of the grittiest centers in the NFL. This time around, though, Mack holds all the cards.
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