Deshaun Watson has been a story for months ever since he came to Cleveland.
The former Houston Texans quarterback made headlines with the new contract he got from the Cleveland Browns.
However, that deal for $230 million is now affecting the Baltimore Ravens and their negotiations with Lamar Jackson.
So how would the deal Watson got from Cleveland affect Jackson?
The first clue could come from Jackson’s Twitter account.
Jackson Might Be Looking For A Mega Payout Like Watson Got
While the original story about the Jackson contract wasn’t about money, something else points to a different story.
Lamar Jackson is his own agent & changed his Twitter header to this
his first move in contract negotiations 😂
your move now, @Ravens pic.twitter.com/7J83zIk50M
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) July 9, 2022
As Warren Sharp points out, the Ravens quarterback changed his Twitter header to “I need $.”
With Watson getting his enormous deal in Cleveland, and the talks going nowhere in Baltimore, it’s looking like money is the issue.
However, some Twitter users have eluded that the Ravens’ star QB isn’t worth the money.
Lamar Jackson had 16 TDs and 13 INTs last season.
— Billy Hartford (@BudDupreeFan) July 9, 2022
A 16 touchdown against 13 interception season doesn’t scream mega-contract deal.
But, in his defense, he didn’t play all the games and finished the season on the bench with an injury.
Still, it would be hard for any team to offer him a contract like Watson got after what happened last season.
Yet, it seems like that what Jackson is looking for now, if you believe his new header on Twitter.
Watson Contract Is Fully Guaranteed, Something Jackson Might Want
Another angle to the Ravens quarterback’s new header on Twitter could come from Watson’s contract being fully guaranteed.
No matter what happens to the embattled quarterback in Cleveland during his NFL hearings of misconduct, he’s still getting all $230 million of his contract.
Maybe that’s the sticking point for the Ravens’ star quarterback.
It could also be the reason the team isn’t giving him what he wants, if this is the case.
Baltimore might feel a fully guaranteed contract is too much of a risk with him.
This could stem from his disappointing season last year or from the injury he suffered.
No matter what reasoning they are using, they will stand their ground, just like Jackson.
However, the Ravens have an ace in the hole they could use against their quarterback if he really wants to stay in Baltimore.
Ravens Can Franchise Tag Jackson To Keep Him Around
Nothing screams Kirk Cousins more than the franchise tag being used during contract negotiations.
I have mixed feelings about #LamarJackson not having agent representation. I just hope that whoever is advising him encourages him not to take the Kirk Cousins route and play under a franchise tag, even though it did work out financially for Cousins back in 2018. However…
— Karl Nelson (@karlnelsonjr) June 15, 2022
It’s a move the Ravens can take if they can’t strike a deal with Jackson.
However, it might also be exactly what Jackson wants, as it got Cousins the financials he desired.
But if it comes down to a franchise tag, and that isn’t what he wants, he could hold out.
That would be a best-case scenario for Browns fans, but a nightmare for Baltimore.
So with time ticking, it’s a game of chicken to see who makes the first move.
The star quarterback has been at training camp and isn’t going the route of becoming a holdout.
However, things could change now with what Jackson has done on his Twitter account.
NEXT: Where The Browns Stand In Salary Cap After The Mayfield Deal