The Cleveland Browns complicated negotiations between the Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson by giving Deshaun Watson an unprecedented contract last offseason.
According to an ESPN report from Jeremy Fowler and Jamison Hensley, Jackson wants a fully guaranteed contract like Watson. All of his counteroffers exceeded the $230 million deal the Browns quarterback received after getting traded from the Houston Texans.
However, Baltimore is “balking” at a fully guaranteed contract. They offered Jackson a five-year, $250 million deal with $133 million guaranteed, the second-highest amount after Watson.
“Just because the Browns were desperate doesn’t mean that the Ravens are,” a high-ranking NFL executive told ESPN. “They are a stable franchise. They aren’t about to jump at something just because Cleveland did it.”
Some fans believe Jackson’s request is justified, but others don’t see Baltimore following Cleveland’s lead.
“As he should considering he’s a great deal better than Watson and has no problems off the field,” a fan wrote of Jackson wanting a fully guaranteed deal.
“Well yeah correctly so,” another fan said of Jackson’s asking price. “Browns set the precedent and the rest of the league pays for it.”
“The only QB that deserves a fully guaranteed contract is Patrick Mahomes,” a fan opined. “I’d love to keep Lamar in Baltimore, but the contract needs to make sense for both sides.”
“If true, he’s likely gone,” a fan wrote. “The Baltimore Ravens have always operated on being financially smart and wheeling and dealing picks left and right to be consistent contenders. Paying a fully guaranteed contract hinders that type of operation. If LJ sticks to his guns, he’s elsewhere.”
“The Browns inadvertently costing the Ravens Lamar Jackson would be a hell of a twist,” another fan said.
Major free-agent deals typically reset the market by establishing a new barometer. An MVP quarterback will naturally want to match or exceed the previous benchmark.
However, Cleveland shattered all prior norms with its fully guaranteed contract. Baltimore’s offer may look better to Jackson without Watson’s contract, but the Ravens must now decide whether to stand their ground at risk of losing a franchise cornerstone.
ESPN said a possible “has never been more likely” if Jackson and the Ravens can’t reach a compromise.