CLEVELAND -- The Browns arent letting Alex Mack walk away freely. The team locked the free agent Pro Bowl centre into a one-year, $10.039 million contract on Monday by designating him as their transition player. By using the transition tag instead of the franchise tag, Cleveland will have five days to match any offer to Mack made by other teams when free agency opens on March 11. If the Browns had used their franchise tag, Mack would have made $11.654 million next season. In the meantime, the Browns are expected to try and sign Mack to a long-term contract. The 6-foot-4, 311-pounder has been one of Clevelands best and most dependable players since the Browns drafted him in the first round in 2009. He has not missed one offensive play in five years, a run of 4,998 consecutive snaps. Mack may want to play elsewhere. He could draw serious interest as a free agent and he may be dismayed with the teams direction following another coaching change and front-office purge this winter. The Browns have gone just 23-57 since Mack arrived. The decision to make Mack their transition player also means Pro Bowl safety T.J. Ward is now a free agent. Ward had a solid 2013 season. He started all 16 games and made a career-high 129 tackles with two interceptions, returning one for a touchdown. With Ward seemingly no longer in their plans, the Browns could pursue Buffalo free safety Jairus Byrd, who was not tagged by the Bills. A three-time Pro Bowler, Byrd could be reunited in Cleveland with new Browns coach Mike Pettine, who spent last season as Buffalos defensive co-ordinator. Byrd turned down a multiyear offer from the Bills. He played under a one-year, $6.9 million franchise tag last year. The Browns have over $55 million in salary-cap room. Phillip Walker Jersey . Liriano pitched in and out of trouble in his duel with Josh Beckett, and Ike Davis homered to help the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 Friday night. Jabaal Sheard Jersey . "Well over 50 (per cent)," coach Claude Noel said Tuesday after practice, where the Jets were looking at ways to cut down the scoring chances theyve been giving away. http://www.cheapcoltsjerseysauthentic.co...en-smith-jersey. Hes recovered from a scary injury and cleared to play. Mingo, who was hospitalized with a bruised lung he sustained in an Aug. Antonio Garcia Jersey . The 12th-ranked Haas served well throughout the match at the Ibirapuera arena, allowing only one break point to the 152nd-ranked Italian. Both players held serve until the first-set tiebreak, when Haas stepped up his game to easily clinch the set. Luke Rhodes Jersey . LOUIS - The St.Charlotte, NC (SportsNetwork.com) - The Carolina Panthers won for the first time in seven games last week, were without Cam Newton due to a car accident this week, but somehow sit atop the much-maligned NFC South. Derek Anderson filled in for Newton and threw for 277 yards and a touchdown as the Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19-17 on Sunday. Newton suffered two transverse process fractures in his lower back in a two- car accident Tuesday afternoon near the teams stadium. He was released from the hospital on Wednesday morning and will be re-evaluated next week. Anderson, who also started for Newton in the Panthers Week 1 win at Tampa Bay, completed 25-of-40 passes. Everything was not as clean as we wouldve liked it. Anderson said. It wasnt perfect by any means ... overall Im very happy with the win. Greg Olsen caught 10 balls for 110 yards and Kelvin Benjamin added 104 yards on eight receptions for Carolina (5-8-1), which is percentage points ahead of the New Orleans Saints (5-8) for first place in the division. The Saints visit the Chicago Bears on Monday night. The Atlanta Falcons came into Sunday tied with the Saints for first place, but they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-20. Josh McCowns 16-yard touchdown scramble on a 3rd-and-11 clawed the Bucs within 19-17 with 3:11 left, but the Panthers picked up a pair of first downs and took the next 2:48 off the clock. Tampa Bay regained possession with 23 seconds remaining, but Luke Kuechlys interception on second down sealed the outcome. McCown completed 13-of-28 passes for 154 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Buccaneers (2-12), who have dropped four straight games. Doug Martin carried the ball 14 times for 96 yards and Vincent Jackson hauled in six passes for 70 yards in defeat. Hung in there throughout, guys fought hard, Bucs coach Lovie Smith said. Carolina outgained Tampa Bay 249-156 and held the ball for 21:04 in the first half, but trailed 10-9 at the break. The Panthers drove into the Tampa Bay 40 on each of their four first-half possessions, but settled for a trio of Graham Gano field goals. The Panthers turned to their defense to finally gain the upper hand in the third, getting a turnover on Tampa Bays first possession and forcing a trio of three-and-outs on its next three drives beffore getting another takeaway.dddddddddddd Tampa Bay was faced with a 3rd-and-15 on its initial possession of the third. A backpedaling McCown was attempting to set up a screen, but Charles Johnson strip-sacked him from behind and Kawann Short made the recovery at the Bucs 5-yard line. Carolina quickly took advantage of the miscue when Anderson flipped a 2-yard TD pass to Jerricho Cotchery in the back of the end zone on a play-action seam pattern two plays later, staking the Panthers to a 16-10 lead. Carolina moved the ball deep into Tampa Bay territory on its next drive, but Stewart fumbled inside the 10. Alterraun Verner stripped the ball away from Stewart, while was fighting for extra yardage, and Akeem Spence pounced on the ball at the 8-yard line. The Bucs offense finally gained some traction late in the third. An 18-yard Charles Sims run off left tackle and a 16-yard Jackson reception helped them move the ball into Carolina territory. But Roman Harper stripped McCown from behind and Bene Benwikere recovered the downfield fumble at the 27. Gano split the uprights from 45 yards out on the Panthers next drive to put them up by two scores, 19-10, midway through the fourth. Earlier, Gano connected on a 29-yard field goal, capping Carolinas opening 13-play, 73-yard possession. The Bucs responded on their first touch. Martin broke off a 63-yard run up the middle and McCown flipped an 8-yard TD pass to Mike Evans three plays later to give Tampa Bay a 7-3 advantage. Gano hit from 49 yards out on Caro