Ravens Exec: Owner Admitted Lamar Jackson Contract Talks Affected by Deshaun Watson

The Baltimore Ravens' contract negotiations with quarterback Lamar Jackson have apparently been complicated by the $230 million guaranteed contract the Cleveland Browns gave to Deshaun Watson.

The Ravens have tried to sign Jackson to a long-term deal, but executive vice president Ozzie Newsome revealed the thoughts of owner Steve Bisciotti toward the impact of Watson's deal on the Bernie Kosar Show:

"I don't worry about what other people do, but our owner did say that contract did create some problems," Newsome said of the Watson deal (h/t Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). "We have to figure out if that's going to be the norm or is that an outlier. We don't know."

Bisciotti was one of the more outspoken owners after the Browns gave Watson a fully guaranteed deal.

"To me, that's something that is groundbreaking, and it'll make negotiations harder with others," he said last March.

The words have been prescient, as Jackson has reportedly used that contract as a model for his own deal.

"According to sources, Jackson wants a fully guaranteed deal like the one given to Deshaun Watson last year, and the Ravens have been reluctant to offer that because they believe Watson's deal is more of an outlier than a precedent," ESPN's Jamison Hensley reported.

The Ravens extended the non-exclusive franchise tag to Jackson this offseason, which allows him to negotiate with other teams but gives the Ravens the right to match any agreements. So far, the 2019 MVP and two-time Pro Bowler has not agreed terms with any NFL teams.