BEREA, Ohio – Alex Mack stood in the same spot inside the Browns locker room Wednesday as he did two years ago while addressing the media.
The answers to the questions were almost identical. The center expressed gratitude to teammates for his latest Pro Bowl invitation and said nothing of substance regarding his pending free agency.
The Browns had two seasons to prepare for his possible departure. Somehow, they find themselves in a worse predicament despite making a major investment in a contingency plan.
"We don't have much control over (the situation)," coach Mike Pettine said of Mack's five-year contract he signed in the spring of 2014 that includes an opt-out cause after this season.