Lamar Jackson and his contract negotiations with the Baltimore Ravens aren’t anywhere near a resolution, as both sides appear unwilling to budge.
The Cleveland Browns reset the market for quarterbacks when they inked Deshaun Watson to a guaranteed five-year, $230 million deal in March.
Jackson has already turned down a five-year, $250 million contract that included $133 million in guaranteed money. And according to an ESPN report Thursday, “all of his counteroffers to the Ravens last year were for fully guaranteed contracts that exceeded that of Watson.”
That guaranteed money is the sticking point. Team sources told ESPN that the Ravens “are balking at guaranteeing the full amount.”
Many NFL insiders believe the Browns made an epic blunder in giving Watson that kind of deal (not even considering his off-the-field baggage). It far exceeded the $124 million guaranteed the Denver Broncos gave to Russell Wilson and the Arizona Cardinals offered Kyler Murray ($103 million).
If the Ravens decide not to budge on their refusal to guarantee that kind of money, they have until March 7 to decide whether or not to give Jackson the franchise tag.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said during his postseason media conference that there is a “200 percent chance” the Ravens would keep Jackson. Yet the stalled contract negotiations point to a possibility that once seemed unthinkable — the Ravens might end up trading the former NFL MVP.
Of course, any potential suitor would have to come up with a lucrative trade package and then sign Lamar Jackson for his asking price.
[ESPN]
