mack-center-2012-cc.jpg

Browns center Alex Mack will most likely visit some other teams beginning Tuesday.

(Chuck Crow / The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Alex Mack's agent is confident he can craft a deal that the Browns won't match, according to a report.

Sports Illustrated's Peter King tweeted Monday that Mack's agent (he didn't specify whether it was lead agent Marvin Demoff or his partner Tim Younger) is "confident" he can structure pact w/a "reasonable likelihood" Browns won't match.

The Browns designated their two-time Pro Bowler as their transition player, meaning he's guaranteed to make $10.039 million in 2014. Teams can begin making offers for Mack Tuesday at 4 p.m. when the free agent period opens and the league year begins. The Browns will then have five days to match.

With more than $49 million in cap space, it would seem the Browns would be able to match any offer, but Younger told cleveland.com last week that Demoff is skilled enough to make things tough on the Browns.

Younger also told cleveland.com last week that he and Demoff are confident Mack will have suitors. If nothing else, teams can bring him in to do their due diligence for next season, when he's likely to become a free agent again.

"With a player of Alex's caliber, we're very confident that other teams will want to speak with him,'' Younger said. "It's an opportunity for Alex to look around, and he plans on taking advantage of that.''

Some teams that might host Mack include the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Ravens, the Raiders and Colts. The Ravens liked Mack coming out of the draft, and Mack's beloved former Browns offensive line coach George Warhop is now in Tampa. Former Browns coach Rob Chudzinski is an assistant in Indianapolis.

If Mack wants out of Cleveland, he'll have to be careful of signing an offer sheet from another team. If the Browns match, he'd have to play for the Browns under that contract. If not, he's likely to play under the transition tag and then have the chance to hit the market again after next year. The Browns would most likely have to tag him again to keep him, which would cost them about $12 million for the 2015 -- meaning Mack would make about $22 million over two seasons, which is the kind of money left tackles make -- not centers.

The highest paid center in the NFL right now is Carolina's Ryan Kalil, who averages about $8 million a year. As it stands, Mack would be the highest-paid center in the NFL by $2 millon if he plays under the transition tag.

If they hope to sign him to a long-term contract before or after next season, they'd have to pay him a signing bonus in the $15 million to $20 million range for a seven-year pro.

So when the league opens for business, Mack will definitely be one to watch.