The rumor mill may be churning, but Alex Mack is staying in Cleveland.
Via a statement released Monday night, Mack said he will not waive his no-trade clause ahead of the NFL’s trading deadline Tuesday.
That clause, Mack wrote, “was included for a good reason: I’m not leaving my teammates, coaches and Browns fans while there is work this season to be finished.”
He can opt out of his contract after this season, but he sounds like he’s not going anywhere.
Maybe when Browns coach Mike Pettine called it “a ficticious rumor mill” after Sunday’s game, he was telling the truth. Mack wasn’t the only Browns player whose name was linked Sunday morning to trade rumors, but he is probably the only one who really may have been traded before 4 p.m. Tuesday.
Joe Thomas makes a lot of money, and it’s hard to imagine the Browns actually trading him even if they received an outstanding offer. Paul Kruger makes a lot of money, probably too much for some team to desire via trade. Barkevious Mingo is, um, Barkevious Mingo.
Mack has the no-trade clause -- and the opt-out before 2016 clause -- because he was a restricted free agent before 2014 and the Jaguars signed Mack to an offer sheet that the Browns matched. Mack has been with the Browns since he was selected by then-coach Eric Mangini in the first round in 2009. Mack has been to two Pro Bowls.
